The National Transportation Safety Board’s daylong hearing on a 2023 Ohio train derailment near the Pennsylvania border is giving stakeholders plenty to think about. Questions include how to prevent similar disasters. The investigation into the East Palestine disaster highlights the need for more information about the trackside detectors railroads use to spot mechanical problems. The NTSB says the derailment offered yet another reminder of the fact that certain tank cars are much more likely to rupture in a crash and shouldn’t be hauling hazardous materials. It’s still not clear Congress will approve railroad safety reforms.
