ATLANTA — National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy had harsh words for Norfolk Southern at the conclusion of last month’s hearing on the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio, hazardous materials derailment.
But today, after a visit to the railroad’s headquarters, Homendy praised CEO Alan Shaw for pledging to exceed the safety recommendations that the NTSB made after its probe into the derailment that put a spotlight on rail safety.
“Had a productive meeting today in Atlanta with Alan Shaw and the @nscorp leadership team,” Homendy wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “He made clear his commitment to working with @NTSB to advance #safety and to not only support all of our East Palestine #safety recommendations, but exceed them.”
NS said the board’s recommendations align with safety initiatives currently underway at the railroad, including those aimed at accident prevention, mitigation, and response.
“This is a great first step. The @NTSB’s work doesn’t end with a final report; it’s just the beginning for safety change. I look forward to continuing to work with the community, NS, and all of our recommendation recipients to improve #safety and prevent future derailments,” Homendy said.
🧵Had a productive meeting today in Atlanta with Alan Shaw and the @nscorp leadership team. He made clear his commitment to working with @NTSB to advance #safety and to not only support all of our East Palestine #safety recommendations, but exceed them. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/K8pD1bri2G
— Jennifer Homendy (@JenniferHomendy) July 10, 2024
The agency in March 2023 began a review of Norfolk Southern’s safety culture in the wake of the East Palestine derailment and subsequent wrecks. It has yet to release the results of that review.
Homendy and other members of the NTSB — including its lead East Palestine investigator and safety recommendations specialist — visited the NS network operations center today, including the advanced train control desk that monitors alerts from wayside detectors.
The East Palestine derailment was caused by the failure of a wheel bearing on a covered hopper. Flames were shooting from the bearing when the train passed over two hotbox detectors, but they did not sound critical alarms because the temperature they measured was below the required threshold. The East Palestine detector sounded a critical alarm, but the train derailed moments later.
Among the NTSB’s recommendations for the rail industry: Improve detection and monitoring of hot bearings, get hazmat information into the hands of first responders, and accelerate the phase out of DOT-111 tank cars in hazmat service.
The NTSB received a demonstration of the RapidSOS program that provides first responders with real-time train consist information, was briefed on the railroad’s new digital train inspection portals, and visited with 80 supervisors as part of the railroad’s three-day safety summit.
“We have a deep respect for Chair Homendy and the important work of the NTSB. We appreciate her leadership, willingness to collaborate with us on next steps, and direct engagement with our operational leaders,” Shaw said in a statement. “Norfolk Southern and the NTSB share the same goal when it comes to safety. We’re committed to taking action that addresses their recommendations and to becoming the gold standard of safety for the industry.”
NS has taken several steps to improve safety since the Feb. 3, 2023, East Palestine derailment.
The railroad has installed more hot-bearing detectors, was the first railroad to use the RapidSOS digital platform, and formed a vent-and-burn work group that will assess practices for intentionally releasing chemicals from tank cars that suffer significant damage in derailments. The railroad also hired an independent safety consultant and became the first to join the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting program.
The NTSB concluded that the vent and burning of vinyl chloride from five damaged tank cars in East Palestine was not necessary.
During its June 25 hearing in East Palestine, Homendy sharply criticized Norfolk Southern for the way it responded to the board’s investigation of the wreck. NS stonewalled board requests for information, ran its own probe on the side in violation of NTSB rules, and sought to influence the board’s independent investigation, Homendy said at the end of a daylong hearing on the board’s findings and recommendations.
NS insists that it fully cooperated with the NTSB and its investigation.
Looks like Homendy’s comments at East Palestine were intended to be a “Come to Jesus…” event for the rail industry as a whole and not just NS. To me her complete turnaround after her visit to NS Headquarters confirms this…or shows she is an irrational idiot. I do not believe the latter. We all know that the rail industry is run deep down in the same manner it has been for over 175 years. Continued reminders that “we see you…” are not only necessary but required to keep the players honest for as we all know, with railroads if no one is saying anything, they think things are fine and dandy no matter what they are actually doing…