(ATLANTA, Ga.) — CBS News reports that on Monday, Atlanta-based rail freight line Norfolk Southern announced a “six-point plan” to improve safety. This blueprint comes after its second train derailment in Ohio over the few weeks.
This past Sunday, about 20 cars of a 212-car train derailed near Springfield, Ohio. The accident occurred about a month after a train derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, leaking hazardous materials into the environment and forcing hundreds of nearby residents to evacuate.
Thursday, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw is scheduled to appear before the US Senate to answer questions about safety measures that his company implements. An NTSB report pointed to overheated wheel bearings as one of the primary causes of the East Palestine accident.
The points included in the plan are:
- Install about 200 additional wheel bearing detectors where practical.
- Work with part manufacturers to develop more heat-resistant bearings.
- Review industry standards and practices for hot-bearing detectors.
- Immediately scale up deployment of acoustic-based bearing detectors, designed to detect engineers of potential problems before they occur.
- Work with Georgia Tech researchers to develop new advanced safety inspection techniques.
- Join the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting system to “support a strong culture of safety.”