Federal investigators to probe Norfolk Southern's ‘safety culture’

The federal agency probing the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train that spewed toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, announced Tuesday that it plans a special investigation into the railroad's safety culture — an unusual move for the agency, which typically focuses on the causes of individual accidents.

The independent National Transportation Safety Board said it's undertaking a focus on the railroad itself "given the number and significance of recent Norfolk Southern accidents."

The NTSB cited five "significant" accidents involving Norfolk Southern since December 2021, including two that have happened in the last three days. Those two involve a 212-car freight train that derailed in Springfield, Ohio on March 3, and one on March 7 where a dump truck collided with a train car in Cleveland, killing a Norfolk Southern conductor. The NTSB said that as part of the investigation they would also review an Oct. 28, 2022, Norfolk Southern derailment in Sandusky, Ohio.

NTSB urged the company to "take immediate action today to review and assess its safety practices, with the input of employees and others, and implement necessary changes to improve safety."

Norfolk Southern announced several safety measures on Monday, but most were focused on addressing one of the specific problems thought to have caused the Feb. 3 derailment, primarily involving an overheating wheel and the adequacy of detection technology.

The railroad had no immediate comment on the NTSB's new probe.

The CEO of Norfolk Southern, Alan Shaw, is scheduled to testify Thursday before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee — his first time facing lawmakers following the East Palestine derailment.