Consider This from NPR

After East Palestine Derailment, Are Railroads Any Safer?

Jul 25, 2023

Alan Shaw, CEO of Norfolk Southern, leads the discussion on the aftermath of the East Palestine derailment. Shaw reveals the company's commitment to recovering the community while pushing for industry-wide safety enhancements. He details new initiatives, including a comprehensive six-point safety plan and proactive labor engagement, aimed at redefining rail safety standards. The conversation also dives into contentious debates about crew sizes in train operations, showcasing the industry’s ongoing challenges to meet safety regulations and community expectations.

13:55

Creator website

Episode guests

Alan Shaw

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

4min

Enhancing Rail Safety Post-Derailment: Initiatives and Industry Challenges

6min

Assessing Responses to Rail Safety and Community Impact

3min

Debating Crew Size and Safety in the Railroad Industry

3min

When a fiery, toxic train wreck forced residents of East Palestine, Ohio to evacuate last February, the crash and its aftermath became a national flashpoint and a hot button issue on both sides of the political aisle.

Alan Shaw, the CEO of Norfolk Southern - the freight railroad responsible - found himself in front of Congress, grilled by bipartisan lawmakers.

Shaw insists the company is continuing its commitment to help East Palestine recover, and that they are at the forefront of improving safety in the rail industry.

Host Scott Detrow speaks with Shaw about how the company hopes to become "the gold standard" in rail safety.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy