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Mar 14 2024

Three-train collision in Ohio prompts calls for better freight management

A collision involving three Norfolk Southern trains in Pennsylvania, US, has resulted in the leakage of diesel fuel and plastic pellets into the Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River.

 

The tributary supplies thousands of local residents with drinking water.

The three trains collided after an eastbound Norfolk Southern train crashed into a parked train on the same track, the wreckage of which was then also hit by a westbound train.

 

The incident, similar to the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in February last year, has raised concerns about public health and environmental safety resulting from the management of chemical freight.

 

US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg restated his concerns regarding railroad safety and criticised the industry for its insufficient efforts to improve safety measures following the 2023 derailment.

 

In a recent statement addressed to the primary trade association of freight railroads, Buttigieg acknowledged the industry’s commitment to safety. He also commended the provision of paid sick leave to nearly 90% of its employees during the past year, as well as its investment in detectors and other technologies aimed at derailment prevention.

 

Buttigieg also noted that regulators often encounter resistance when pushing for further safety improvements within the industry, noting that the Federal Railroad Administration’s data didn’t show adequate improvements in safety over the past decade.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported no injuries or hazardous material leaks from the incident. Read more

 

Source: LOGISTICS MANAGER