Another Norfolk Southern train derailed—this time in Alabama. The company said there is no threat to the public. Norfolk Southern said the derailment in Calhoun County, Alabama involved about thirty-seven train cars but none were carrying hazardous materials. The company says two of the cars are considered "residue" cars because they previously contained hazardous materials, but they were not compromised. The accident in Alabama came on the same day the company's CEO apologized before Congress about the impact of a hazardous materials train derailment in Ohio.
Photos posted by local news outlets showed train cars on their side or leaning off the tracks in the wooded rural area. The Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency said no injuries or road blockages were reported and the cause of the accident is under investigation. Calhoun Sheriff Matthew Wade told al.com that no one was injured.
The accident in Alabama came on the same morning that Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testified before Congress about last month's fiery, derailment in Ohio of a train carrying hazardous materials. But he stopped short on Thursday of fully endorsing a Senate bill that would toughen safety regulations. Senators are investigating railway safety and the Biden administration's response to the disaster. Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said he was "deeply sorry" for the impact of the derailment and the railroad would "do the right thing" and commit $20 million to the response and voluntary safety upgrades. But senators from both parties want to impose new regulations on railroads.
The National Transportation Safety Board said this week it will begin a broad look at the company’s safety culture. That’s the first such investigation within the rail industry since 2014. The board said it has sent investigation teams to look into five significant accidents involving Norfolk Southern since December 2021. Shaw said his railroad supports the goal of improving rail safety, but he also defended the railroad's record. He did back proposals to tighten standards for tank cars that the railroads don't own, expand hazardous materials training for first responders and establish standards for the trackside detectors railroads use to spot problems. He pointed to a $20 million commitment so far to help the community recover. Norfolk Southern's final financial responsibility is expected to run far beyond that after legal proceedings. The company has announced several voluntary safety upgrades. Senators, however, have promised a pressing inquiry into the derailment, the Biden administration's response and the company's safety practices after the toppling of 38 railcars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials. Federal regulators have also said Norfolk Southern itself must do more to improve safety. No one was injured in the crash, but state and local officials decided to release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five tanker cars, prompting the evacuation of half of the roughly 5,000 residents of East Palestine. Scenes of billowing smoke above the village, alongside an outcry from residents that they are still suffering from illnesses, have turned high-level attention to railroad safety and how dangerous materials are transported.
Train derailments have been getting less common but there were still more than 1,000 last year, according to data collected by the Federal Railroad Administration. But even a single train derailment involving hazardous materials can be disastrous.
