The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published its accident investigation report on the Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, 2023. FRA conducted the investigation under its independent statutory authority with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) safety personnel, who were on the ground within hours of the derailment, working to identify the cause of the
accident and examining compliance with rail safety regulations.

FRA found that the derailment was caused by a roller bearing that failed due to overheating, consistent with the investigation findings of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent federal agency. Norfolk Southern’s procedures and the inadequate staffing for communicating information from the Hot Box Detectors (HBDs), a type of wayside detector installed along the railroad right of way that monitors the condition of freight and passenger rolling stock, to the train crew may have contributed to the accident.

FRA does not currently regulate the location, installation, operation, or maintenance of wayside detectors, unless a detector interfaces with a railroad’s signaling system. However, this is a topic where FRA will aggressively use its existing authorities but encourages Congress to also act in any future rail safety legislation.

• FRA inspected thousands of wayside detectors on 28 different railroads last year alone as part of a high-hazard route assessment, and the agency assessed Class I dispatching centers to evaluate how railroads report, evaluate, and take actions following wayside detector alarms.

• On multiple occasions, FRA has urged railroads using wayside detectors to evaluate their inspection processes and prioritize proper training for personnel working with them. This includes a Safety Advisory in March 2023 and two additional advisories in June 2023 and July 2024.

• FRA also continues to conduct safety culture assessments of all Class I freight railroads. FRA completed its assessment of Norfolk Southern last year, which evaluated the railroad’s procedures related to wayside detector maintenance, inspections, and alerts, and made recommendations to address issues and improve safety.

• Importantly, FRA has tasked its Railroad Safety Advisory Committee with reviewing current industry practices relating to wayside detectors, determining current best practices, and developing recommendations and proposals to update existing or develop new regulations and guidance.

As a result of FRA’s investigation, the agency initiated 12 enforcement cases with 117 counts against the railroad and other entities. These potential violations were found across technical disciplines examined by FRA inspections, such as operating practices, which ensure internal railroad rules are communicated to workers and followed, as well as motive power equipment, which includes the mechanical elements such as locomotives and freight cars. FRA examined all available evidence to ensure compliance with federal regulations. While the enforcement process governed by statute allows parties the opportunity to respond to potential violations, the initiation of these cases is an important step
and one of several ways USDOT is taking actions to ensure accountability and improve railroad safety.

-via Press Release