OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal investigators are opening a wide-ranging investigation into one of the nation’s biggest railroads following a fiery derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month and several other accidents involving Norfolk Southern, including the death of a train conductor Tuesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday it will begin a broad look at the company’s safety culture — the first such investigation within the rail industry since 2014. The NTSB said it has sent investigation teams to look into five significant accidents involving Norfolk Southern since December 2021.

The agency also urged the company to take immediate action to review and assess its safety practices.

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw pledged to hold a series of companywide safety meetings Wednesday — one day ahead of when he is scheduled to testify in Congress at a hearing on the East Palestine derailment.

“Moving forward, we are going to rebuild our safety culture from the ground up,” he said in a statement. “We are going to invest more in safety. This is not who we are, it is not acceptable, and it will not continue.”

In response to the Ohio derailment, the railroad on Monday announced plans to improve the use of detectors placed along railroad tracks to spot overheating bearings and other problems.

Investigators with the NTSB said the crew operating the train that derailed Feb. 3 outside East Palestine, Ohio, got a warning from such a detector but couldn’t stop the train before more than three dozen cars came off the tracks and caught fire.

Half of the town of about 5,000 people had to evacuate for days when responders intentionally burned toxic chemicals in some of the derailed cars to prevent an uncontrolled explosion, leaving residents with lingering health concerns. Government officials say tests haven’t found dangerous levels of chemicals in the air or water in the area.

Within the industry, Norfolk Southern has had a strong reputation for being a safe railroad over the years, said Christopher Barkan, director of the Rail Transportation and Engineering Center at the University of Illinois.

Federal Railroad Administration statistics show accidents involving Norfolk Southern is down since 2019, but the rate of accidents is up over the past decade. The 119 derailments involving Norfolk Southern last year was the lowest number in the last decade. Industrywide, there were more than 1,000 derailments last year.

But pressure has been mounting on the rail company in the aftermath of the East Palestine disaster.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told the nation’s freight railroads in February to immediately act to improve safety while regulators were focusing on strengthening safety rules. Buttigieg said the department will hold the railroad accountable for any safety violations that contributed to the Feb. 3 crash.

President Joe Biden said on Twitter after the derailment that the past pattern of railroads resisting safety regulations must change and that Congress should support the effort to improve safety.

Even though government data shows that derailments have declined in recent years, there were still 1,049 of them last year.

While most don’t cause any major problems, of the five accidents NTSB pointed to involving Norfolk Southern since the end of 2021, three resulted in the deaths of three workers.

On Saturday, no one was hurt when a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed near Springfield, Ohio.

In the latest incident Tuesday, a train and a dump truck collided at a steel plant in Cleveland, killing the train conductor who was standing on the outside of a car, authorities said. The company said the cause of that accident was not yet known.

Eddie Hall, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that represents the worker who was killed, said the death is a reminder of the need for safety improvements.

“All railroad accidents are avoidable,” Hall said. “This collision underscores the need for significant improvements in rail safety for both workers and the public.”

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(NewsUSA) – In the U.S. alone, there are 10 million car accidents every year, and the tense moments following a car accident, even a minor one, can be scary and stressful for everyone involved.

Drivers and passengers can feel confused and unsure of what to do. Even the most experienced and seasoned drivers can make basic mistakes after they have been involved in a traumatic event. Simple, avoidable mistakes could cost you time and money, or lead to personal, medical and legal issues.

Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid after a collision:

* Fleeing the scene: Leaving the scene of an accident could land you in serious legal trouble. You may be in shock, but the most important thing to do is stay where you are.

Check on your passengers, and once you exit your vehicle, check with the other driver involved in the accident.

Try to remain calm and wait for law enforcement to arrive on the scene. If it is safe to do so, use your cell phone to take photos of your vehicle to document the damage that resulted from the accident while you wait for police.

* Not reporting the accident: Even if it’s just a minor collision, always report the accident to the police. Never let someone convince you to avoid calling the police.

If you decide to make a claim with your insurance company later on, or if you decide to pursue a legal claim, not reporting the accident could hurt your case.

* Exchanging too much information: Do not share your driver’s license or who was at fault with the other driver; however, share this information with the police along with your current insurance.
Always exchange contact information with the other driver, get contact info from any witnesses, and obtain full insurance details from other drivers involved in the accident.
Make sure accurate information is included in the police report, and ask for a copy of the report to edit any incorrect information.

* Failing to get medical advice: You may think that you were lucky enough to escape injury, but you should always get a medical checkup after a car accident, especially if you hit your head. Remember, only a medical professional can rule out possible head trauma and other serious injuries.

* Having your vehicle repaired at just any shop: You might have to make a decision on-the-spot as to where to have your vehicle repaired. Don’t make a panicked decision when it comes to your safety.

Visit www.goldclass.com to find a Gold Class shop that has collision repair professionals with up-to-date training contributing to complete, safe and quality repairs.

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