Politics Aug 29 Democrat warns Trump firing challenges integrity of STB ahead of railway merger decision By Geoff Bennett, Ali Schmitz
Nation Jul 24 Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern in merger talks to create coast-to-coast railroad There's widespread debate over whether such a merger would be approved by U.S. regulators, which have established a high bar for consolidation in the crucial industry. By Matt Ott, Associated Press
Nation Sep 25 Judge approves $600 million settlement for Ohio residents near 2023 train derailment A federal judge on Wednesday approved a $600 million class-action settlement Wednesday that Norfolk Southern railroad offered to everyone who lived within 20 miles of last year's disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. By Josh Funk, Associated Press
Nation Jun 25 Norfolk Southern botched call to blow open vinyl chloride tanks after Ohio train derailment, NTSB reports The NTSB says Norfolk Southern botched the decision to blow open five vinyl chloride tank cars after the disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. By Josh Funk, Tom Krisher, Patrick Orsagos, Associated Press
Nation Jun 25 Trackside sensor didn’t catch burning rail bearing suspected in East Palestine derailment in time, NTSB says The hearing on Tuesday is expected to disclose new findings from the investigation into the February 2023 derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania line. By Josh Funk, Tom Krisher, Patrick Orsagos, Associated Press
May 23 Norfolk Southern will pay modest $15 million fine as part of a federal settlement over Ohio train derailment By Josh Funk, Associated Press Residents were generally underwhelmed by the deal the Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department announced Thursday, two days after a federal judge signed off on the railroad's $600 million class action settlement with residents. Continue reading
Mar 07 Norfolk Southern alone should pay for cleanup of eastern Ohio train derailment, judge says By Josh Funk, Associated Press The decision that was issued Wednesday threw out the railroad's claim that the companies that made the chemicals that spilled during the derailment and those that owned the rail cars involved should share the cost of the cleanup. Continue reading
Feb 16 WATCH: Biden visits East Palestine, Ohio, one year after deadly train derailment By Josh Boak, Associated Press Addressing residents, Biden said he wants them to understand “that we're not going home, no matter what, until this job is done, and it's not done yet.” He did not explain why he didn't visit sooner nor did he address… Continue reading
Feb 02 A year after a train derailment in Ohio spilled hazardous chemicals, health fears persist for East Palestine By Josh Funk, Patrick Orsagos, Associated Press Daily life largely returned to normal for the nearly 5,000 residents of East Palestine, Ohio, months after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled a cocktail of hazardous chemicals that caught fire a year ago. But residents' worries and fears… Continue reading
Sep 25 Biden administration allocates more than $1 billion to support railway safety, boost capacity By Associated Press Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday “these projects will make American rail safer, more reliable and more resilient." Buttigieg says the projects will benefit dozens of communities where railroads are located and strengthen supply chains. Continue reading