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Senator Brown drumming up support for proposed railway safety law

In Springfield Township, crews continue cutting up and removing cars from a derailed Norfolk Southern train. Meanwhile, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is pushing to pass a Railway Safety Act — a law packed with more safety requirements for all railway companies.

“It shouldn’t take an accident like Springfield or Sandusky or Steubenville or East Palestine for the country to pay attention,” U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown said. “We’re not giving up until this is fixed.” This is the message Ohio’s U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown wants people in Springfield Township to hear.

Ohio's U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown answers questions about his Rail Safety Act. He spoke to residents and to the media at The Ability Building in Springfield Township. Behind the building are derailed Norfolk Southern cars from the March 4 accident.
Kathryn Mobley
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WYSO
Ohio's U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown answers questions about his Rail Safety Act. He spoke to residents and to the media at The Ability Building in Springfield Township. Behind the building are derailed Norfolk Southern cars from the March 4 accident.

Friday afternoon, Brown spoke to residents, members of the rail union and business leaders. They met at The Ability Builders on South Charleston Street. This business provides adult day care for individuals with developmental disabilities who live in Clark and Montgomery Counties.

Lane Martin opened its doors 9 years ago.

“We were forced to close down for two days,” Martin explained.

Kathryn Mobley
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WYSO

Behind his facility are several cars from the Norfolk Southern train that jumped the rails on March 4. A total of 22 cars derailed near the Clark County Fairgrounds No one was injured, and no hazardous materials leaked.

“That left many of our individuals either home alone or other agencies that also serve these individuals had to provide staffing for them for the hours they would have been here.”

Martin said for the rest of the week — Clark County Developmental Disabilities offered a remote space where he and his staff resumed operation. About half a dozen cars are scattered behind The Ability Builders. Some languishing in mud, others overturned, and others are partially cut and gutted.

Brown’s proposed Rail Safety Act would require:

  • trains carrying hazardous materials must report when they are in state;
  • increased inspection of all wheel bearings, cars, tankers, tracks;
  • two person crews at all times;
  • also increasing fines for infractions up to $250,000 per infraction.

Currently, Senator Brown said fines range between three and 10 thousand dollars.
“They’ve laid off 1/3 of their workforce over the last 10 years. when they do that—they compromise safety,” explains Brown. “We’re going to insist they do more inspections, they’re going to have to have more workers.”

Ohio's U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (r) stands next to Clyde Whitaker, a union representative for Smart Transportation. Whitaker is also a veteran rail engineer and conductor. He says Brown's proposed Rail Safety Act is common sense. Other rail union representatives are Rob Back (far l), legislative rep for Smart Transportation & the local chairman. Next to him is Scott Treleavan, local chairman & Vice general chairman for N&W Properties.
Kathryn Mobley
/
WYSO
Ohio's U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (r) stands next to Clyde Whitaker, a union representative for Smart Transportation. Whitaker is also a veteran rail engineer and conductor. He says Brown's proposed Rail Safety Act is common sense. Other rail union representatives are Rob Back (far l), legislative rep for Smart Transportation & the local chairman. Next to him is Scott Treleavan, local chairman & Vice general chairman for N&W Properties.

Clyde Whitaker is a state legislative director with SMART Transportation — in Ohio the union represents about 3,000 engineers, conductors, yard masters and train persons. Whitaker also has 23 years of combined experience as a rail engineer and as a conductor.

He says having a 2-person crew is vital and common sense.

“Locomotive engineers are overwhelmed with technology while the train is running. The conductor keeps this person in check as a level of safety,” Whitaker explained. “When accidents occur, the conductor is the first person to assist and assess the situation for emergency responders. The conductor can also provide relief for road crossings when emergency responders are blocked by the train and many other duties.”

According to Whitaker — more than a decade ago, trains were about a mile long with a little more than 100 cars. He said now they are two miles long with nearly 220 cars.

“The railroads claim this is ‘government overstepping their bounds’. I do not think so,” believes Whitaker. “The government, just like the states, has the right to protect their citizens and this is exactly what this bill accomplishes.”

Whitaker also strongly supports the Railway Safety Act because it will require the regular inspection of wayside defect detectors. These devices are early indicators of problems on the tracks.

Brown says in Washington D.C. — there is bipartisan support for this bill.

Meanwhile, in Senate hearings on Capitol Hill, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said he supports some but not all of the provisions in the Railway Safety Act.

Kathryn Mobley is an award-winning broadcast journalist, crafting stories for more than 30 years. She’s reported and produced for TV, NPR affiliate and for the web. Mobley also contributes to several area community groups. She sings tenor with World House Choir (Yellow Springs), she’s a board member of the Beavercreek Community Theatre and volunteers with two community television operations, DATV (Dayton) and MVCC (Centerville).

Email: kmobley@wyso.org
Cell phone: (937) 952-9924