Norfolk Southern’s decision to call for the burning of five derailed train cars was a consequence of poor communication by the railroad, a local emergency management official told a Senate panel March 9.

The company said March 6 that it’s evaluating the distance between hot-bearing detectors, and will add more where necessary.

A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in west central Ohio over the weekend. Authorities announced the wreck was not hazardous.

Following a period of seesawing freight rates and persistent service failures, ocean carriers and shippers are struggling to achieve some measure of equilibrium.

The railroad industry has defended the devices, saying they have helped reduce accidents. Deploying better monitoring equipment to the more than 1.6 million freight cars in North America would cost huge sums.

Adam Gomez, a lawyer for East Palestine residents, said in a court filing that it was “common sense” to keep the wreckage where it is for now.

Workers and union officials cited the Norfolk Southern Railway derailment in early February as a glaring example of why safety reforms to the industry need to be made.

During the summer months of 2022, record low water levels on the Rhine meant some vessels were able to carry just 25% of their usual load, so as not to risk running aground on the riverbed.

Norfolk Southern says shipments are being delayed across an area from Chicago to New York and Kansas City as workers try to clear the scene. 

Biden has repeatedly expressed his personal affinity for Amtrak, which he used for decades to commute to and from his home outside Wilmington, Delaware.