Tag: Ohio Railroad Association

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw Testifies at Ohio Statehouse

Hannah Poling

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testified to the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Rail Safety on Tuesday, over two months after the February 3rd train derailment in East Palestine.

Ohio Senators questioned Shaw over a wide range of topics related to the derailment and subsequent controlled release of toxic chemicals that negatively impacted the environment and the health and safety of residents, including long-term community assistance programs, two-person crew requirements, and safety requirements for tanker cars.

Read More

Ohio Governor DeWine Signs $13.5 Billion Transportation Budget Including New Rail Safety Measures

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a nearly $13.5 billion state transportation budget on Friday, including rail safety measures that lawmakers added in reaction to the February 3rd train derailment and toxic chemical spill in East Palestine.

With oversight from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), among other provisions, the railway safety measures call for two-person crews for freight trains and requires the installation of wayside detectors at shorter distances, every 10 to 15 miles, to help identify issues. The Federal Railroad Administration currently permits the placement of some wayside devices up to 25 miles apart from one another.

Read More