Federal rail inspectors find dangerous defects at Union Pacific https://politicaliq.com/2023/09/11/rail-inspectors-find-dangerous-defects-at-union-pacific/ #UnionPacific #RailSafety #RailRoads #Nebraska #OhioRailDisaster #politicaliq #news #politics

Sidetracked: Norfolk Southern Cuts Big Checks as Rail Safety Bill Idles

https://presspass.thebulwark.com/p/sidetracked-norfolk-southern-cuts?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Today’s newsletter takes a look at a corporate cash dump from the Norfolk Southern Corporation to key members of Congress in June, right around the time it started to become apparent that bipartisan railway safety legislation was at risk of failing.

#corruption #betrayal #trust #safety #voters #norfolksouthern #railsafety #bribery #danger #corruption

10 years ago today, 47 died when a train carrying highly flammable oil derailed and exploded in the Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic. As I say in this Hill Times article (paywall – sorry), the disaster was avoidable. Unfortunately, both Transport Canada and MMA Railway failed in their responsibilities. Whistleblowers were ignored and punished. #whistleblowing #railsafety

https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2023/07/05/lac-megantic-a-preventable-tragedy-had-whistleblowers-been-heeded/391887/

Feds to Hold Hearing on Toxic Ohio Train Derailment https://politicaliq.com/2023/06/22/feds-to-hold-hearing-on-toxic-ohio-train-derailment/ #NTSB #Ohio #OhioTrainDisaster #OhioDerailment #EastPalestine #RailSafety #ToxicSpill #PublicSafety #politicaliq #news #politics

“The passenger-advocacy group All Aboard Washington supports a Holgate closure, because less accident risk means more reliable service when trains arrive from Portland. “You’re only a few minutes from King Street Station. You feel like you’re almost there. They get on the PA and say, ‘We’re stopping.’ There’s traffic, or a truck that has blocked the intersection. That happens,” said Charlie Hamilton, co-executive director.” https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/amtraks-seattle-maintenance-base-plans-would-take-over-a-sodo-street/ #Seattle #Amtrak #PassengerRail #RailSafety

“Few are as dangerous as the one in East Palestine, but city advocates hope the online tool showing the location of thousands of derailments will underscore the need for a federal safety law.” https://www.route-fifty.com/public-safety/2023/06/new-map-shows-how-common-train-derailments-are/387471/ #Rail #Derailment #RailSafety

A report by the country's top auditor that flagged the amount spent on railway safety and track repair as inadequate, has been refuted by railway sources, who said it only covers data for three years up to 2019-20.
#Auditor #Report #RailSafety #PartialPicture
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/auditors-report-on-rail-safety-gives-partial-picture-say-sources-4096156

Balasore, India: Passenger train derails, second passenger train runs full speed into derailed cars. 70 dead, 350+ injured. Developing story.

#trains #railroad #RailSafety #India #infrastructure #derailment #tragedy

“City leaders are cheering changes to rail safety legislation working its way through Congress that would take a small step toward addressing one of their top frustrations with freight carriers: trains that block road crossings for long periods of time.” #Rail #RailSafety #Legislation https://www.route-fifty.com/infrastructure/2023/05/local-leaders-cheer-changes-rail-safety-bill/386437/

@opensecrets Too costly? And they want to ship #NuclearWaste via the rail? Ummmm... Where's #RalphNader when we need him? So grateful for #OpenSecrets! You folks ROCK!

"But Senators face a slew of objections from the rail industry, which has consistently lobbied to defeat federal safety mandates that it says would be too costly or disruptive to commerce."
#RailSafety #Trains #TrainDerailment

DEAR LORD! House GOP votes to raise the #DebtCeiling only if the gov't agrees to draconian cuts to #FoodAssistance, #Medicare, #RailSafety (yes, even after all these derailments), and #TheVA.

The bill passed with only 217 (all GOP) votes. 3 Repubs voted No only b/c the bill "doesn't go far ENOUGH", and a 4th opposes raising the Debt Ceiling for ANY reason. #JFC https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/house-gop-presents-grim-wish-list-with-debt-ceiling-bill-171433029511

#Ohio lawmakers OK $13.5B #transportation budget with #railsafety changes
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/03/29/ohio-lawmakers-set-to-vote-on-transportation-budget-bill/70056532007/

Greed Over People (GOP) Strikes Again: FreedomWorks Opposes Bipartisan Rail Safety Bill
"But what about the 'job creators?'"

Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and MAGAt JD Vance, along with Pennsylvania Senator  Bob Casey and John Fetterman, introduced The Railway Safety Act of 2023 i
https://newsviews.online/2023/03/14/greed-over-people-gop-strikes-again-freedomworks-opposes-bipartisan-rail-safety-bill/
#Congress ##FuckThePeople #bigbusiness #Congress #FreedomWorks #Greed #Ohio #RailSafety

@fischler on a hearing where Norfolk Southern RR CEO apologizes for Ohio crash but won't back bipartisan bill for #RailSafety.

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/03/09/norfolk-southern-ceo-apologizes-for-ohio-crash-but-wont-back-bipartisan-rail-safety-bill/

Governor Decries Derailment After Vetoing Rail Safety Bill

https://www.levernews.com/email/b7aacdb2-7382-42be-800a-a907d71b25d9/?ref=lever-daily-newsletter

#RailSafety

Senators to introduce bipartisan #railsafety bill after #Ohio #trainderailment
https://www.axios.com/2023/03/01/rail-safety-bill-senate-ohio-train-derailment

A better-built rail car could have made a huge difference:

“The [reversed] Obama-era railroad regulations…included a rule to use freight cars made of special reinforced materials for the transport of oil and hazardous materials….Of the freight cars that derailed…, three were of the stronger type and were not breached, while one…carrying propylene glycol that did not have the enhanced protections was breached.”

#Railroads #NorfolkSouthern #EastPalestine #RailSafety
https://theintercept.com/2023/02/21/east-palestine-rail-safety-congress/

@brewster @Mlobbes
And the #TrainDerailment is #PeteButtigieg's fault (because #Trump dismantled #Obama's #RailSafety program). #MAGA doesn't have to make sense. It thrives on perpetual #grievances.

Disaster
Fire, derailment, fear
Safety neglected, industry's fault
Accidents an all too common sight
Tragic

#trainderailment #railsafety #ohio #chemicalfire #cinquain #poetry

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/17/opinion/ohio-train-derailment-safety-regulation.html

RT @railroadworkers
“It shouldn’t take a chemical cloud over a community in the American heartland to compel the government to protect its people.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/17/opinion/ohio-train-derailment-safety-regulation.html #railsafety #publicsafety