![]() The derailment in Ohio made national headlines, but less severe accidents still happen all the time. “We have problems with these massive long trains everywhere along the way, and companies are insistent that it has to work, even if we cut corners doing it.” Rail industry lobbied against stricter safety protocols “The industry needs to be brought back under control,” Michael Paul Lindsey, a locomotive engineer and member of Railroad Workers United, a group representing workers from different unions, told Fortune. And they say it’s the result of years of underinvestment, cost-cutting, and pushback against safety protocols in an industry controlled by just a few major companies. Rail workers and union leaders tell Fortune the Ohio derailment is only the latest extreme example of the kind of train accident constantly taking place across the U.S. But in a press conference Thursday, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said that while there was no evidence the crew “did anything wrong,” she called the derailment “100% preventable.” The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report about the accident, and will investigate more over the coming months. ![]() Many residents have criticized Norfolk Southern Railways, the train’s operator, for lacking adequate safety procedures that could have averted the derailment. Officials say those could include soil and water contamination. The evacuation order was lifted last week, but many residents are reluctant to return to their homes for fear of long-term environmental consequences. After the crash, officials attempted a “ controlled burn” that released toxic smoke into the air, sparking evacuation orders affecting the 5,000 residents of the town nearby. The train was carrying 20 cars containing hazardous materials, 11 of which derailed. ![]() 3, causing a 38-car pileup and fire damage to an additional 12 cars. A freight train derailed in the state on Fed.
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