The recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has raised concerns about the lack of federal safety regulations for the use of sensors that can warn train crews of impending derailments.
Norfolk Southern’s Train 32N passed a series of detectors designed to pick up overheated wheel bearings before reaching the town, but the next detector was almost 20 miles away. By the time the temperature reached critical levels, the bearing broke, causing the car and 37 others to derail and spill toxic chemicals.
The Federal Railroad Administration allows rail companies to set some of their own safety standards. Although federal investigators haven’t concluded what caused the accident, some safety experts believe that closer detectors near East Palestine could have given the crew more time to avert disaster.
Currently, the government does not require the use of temperature detectors along tracks, nor does it regulate how such equipment is inspected or maintained. The Association of American Railroads, which sets many industry standards, said in 2019 that detectors should not be more than 40 miles apart, a threshold that has been in place since at least 1990. However, a bipartisan bill on rail safety introduced last week would require sensors every 10 miles on tracks over which hazardous materials are transported.
The incident has highlighted concerns that rail companies are pushing for greater efficiency at the expense of safety, staffing levels, and working conditions. Last year, there were 280 derailments on mainline tracks, with overheated bearings accounting for 5% of the total in the past four years.
Norfolk Southern said it plans to add 200 detectors along its 19,300 miles of track, most of it in the eastern half of the country, including near East Palestine. CSX, another large railway, ordered an additional 53 detectors after the accident. Some lawmakers believe that rail companies need to do more to ensure safety.
The incident shows the importance of closer regulation and more frequent inspections of railroad safety equipment. Contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal options if you or a loved one has been injured in a train accident.
