Norfolk Southern is rolling out a new “six-point-plan” of safety measures following its third train derailment in just over a month. The move came just eleven hours after a 28-car train jumped the tracks Saturday in Springfield, Ohio. Most of the plan involves dealing with bearing detectors, which are installed along the track to give real-time warnings to crews.
Here is the six-point-plan:
- Review industry standards and practices for hot-bearing detectors.
- Work with manufacturers to develop new types of hot bearing detectors that may be more effective at catching overheated bearings.
- Immediately accelerate the deployment of acoustic bearing detectors, which analyze the acoustic signature of vibrations inside an axle to spot potential problems.
- Work with Georgia Tech Research to develop new advanced safety inspection technology, including using AI to identify defects.
- Join the Federal Railroad Administration's Confidential Close Call Reporting system to "support a strong safety culture."
- Develop a plan to add additional hot bearing detectors "where practical”.
Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern's CEO Alan Shaw is scheduled to appear for a Senate hearing Thursday to answer questions regarding the crash and toxic material spill in East Palestine, Ohio.
Source: CBS News