STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (WTRF) – Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown was joined by local rail union workers and local officials in Steubenville today in the wake of a Costonia Norfolk Southern derailment back in November and most recently in East Palestine, Ohio.
Improving rail safety has become a top priority for Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and Senator J.D. Vance through the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023.
If passed, this legislation would require two-person crews on trains, increase training, make rail carriers pay for wrongdoing, enhance safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, and support the communities affected.
Brown says that he is confident that all senate leaders are on board, along with all democrats, but Senator Vance and Congressman Johnson need to bring other republicans on their side.
”Normally, the republicans are close to corporations and close to the banks and the railroads and this one they have got to understand that this is a violation of safety and communities, and a violation of public trust. We’ve got to fix this.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown – (D) Ohio
”There is currently no regulation on issues like bearings, the hot-box detectors like we’ve seen in East Palestine. So, to get language for that and also to address making sure there’s two people on every train amd the handling of hazardous shipments – those are huge safety buffers for all of our communities in this country.”
Jeremy Ferguson – International President, SMART Transportation Division
Brown says that this Act will assure that no other community will be put in the same position as the residents of East Palestine, Steubenville, and other areas affected in Ohio into the future.
