Yesterday, rail union leaders gathered for a virtual media briefing to call for safety reforms across the freight rail industry on the two-year anniversary of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. House Transportation Committee Vice Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (D-OH-13), Rail Subcommittee Ranking Member Dina Titus (D-NV-01), and Rail Subcommittee Member Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and former Rail Subcommittee Chairman Troy Nehls (R-TX-22) opened the briefing with a firm commitment to advancing bipartisan rail safety reforms. Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the AFL-CIO, moderated the discussion.
“As we recognize the two year anniversary of the East Palestine derailment, it’s impossible not to think of those who perished on Flight 5342 and the Army helicopter,” said TTD President Greg Regan. “While we were fortunate that no fatalities occurred on the day of the East Palestine derailment, our greatest fear is a train derailment becoming a mass casualty event.”
“It’s been two years since Norfolk Southern’s disastrous derailment in East Palestine, and communities that are close to the tracks are no safer now than they were on the day of that terrifying derailment,” said Congressman Deluzio, Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials subcommittee member. “We know we cannot trust the big railroads to regulate themselves. That’s why this Congress we have to pass strong rail safety requirements and implement the safety recommendations from the NTSB. We have a bipartisan solution on the table, and now is the time for all who are serious about protecting our communities to step up. I refuse to let the workers that power the trains and communities like ours in Western PA get treated like collateral damage in the way of corporate profits.”
“We must fully and firmly address the issue of rail safety,” said Representative Dina Titus, House Rail Subcommittee Ranking Member. “Every state in the nation is affected by this and we must take every step necessary to ensure the safety of both rail workers and the public. Reintroduction of the Rail Act gives us this opportunity. As ranking member of the rail subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I intend to make sure common-sense measures are in place to avoid future catastrophes like the East Palestine derailment.”
Ahead of the media briefing, rail union leaders sent joint letters to the big six freight railroads urging them to fully participate in the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS), which allows rail workers to report safety concerns without retaliation from employers.
The letters were sent to the six Class I freight railroads operating in the United States, including Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, Canadian National, Union Pacific, and CPKC.
Nearly two years ago, these rail companies pledged to join the program. Following public pressure from rail unions and then-Transportation Secretary Buttigieg, all Class I railroads pledged on March 2, 2023, that they would join the system. While there are three pilot programs covering a modest amount of workers, not a single railroad has become a full participant and delivered on their promise.
Rail leaders highlighted the worsening safety trends across the industry and the harmful impacts of the precision scheduled railroading (PSR) business model that prioritizes profits over safety. The leaders also renewed calls for Congress to act by passing a comprehensive rail safety bill that codifies the two-person crew staffing minimum; requires the Class Is to join the C3RS program; increases maintenance, testing, and inspection of critical rail equipment; strengthens federal regulations on defect detector technologies, phases out old and brittle tank cars that carry hazardous materials; establish a federal dispatcher and signalmen certification process, and improves communications and notifications to first responders following safety incidents, among other critical safety improvements.
