In the aftermath of the Ohio train derailment, what is Norfolk Southern's safety record?

The railroad company responsible for the fiery train derailment in East Palestine has among the highest train accident rates nationally and the highest number of derailments in Ohio, a USA TODAY Network analysis of federal safety data shows.

Norfolk Southern, which transports goods across nearly 20,000 miles of rail in 22 states and Washington, D.C., has reported the second-highest accident rate nationally among the seven major freight railroads each year since 2019, according to Federal Railroad Administration data.

The accident rate — calculated by accidents per million train miles — includes all accidents that occurred on major railroad tracks and those at company facilities but not those at railroad crossings or involving trespassers that often are out of the railroad’s control. Norfolk Southern, whose trains have logged an average of 73 million miles a year during the past four years, has reported an average of nearly 261 accidents a year since 2019 and roughly three accidents per million train miles.

Ohio train derailment:Norfolk Southern CEO visits East Palestine

Train safety:Why the Ohio derailment disaster could happen more often

When looking at accidents only on major railroads, also known as main rail lines, Norfolk Southern has reported the second-highest accident rate in two of the last four years. In 2020 and 2021, the railway still had roughly the same accident rate but Kansas City Southern Railway reported a higher-than-usual accident rate. Union Pacific Railroad topped all railroads nearly every year with the highest accident rates.

For main rail lines, Norfolk has reported an average of nearly 58 accidents a year since 2019, which translates to less than one accident per million train miles, data shows.

The USA TODAY Network sought to better understand Norfolk Southern’s safety record after one of its trains — which likely passed through northern Ohio, including Summit, Portage and Stark counties — derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3. The derailment, and subsequent burning of hazardous chemicals, has gained national attention as concerns continue about air, soil and water quality.

East Palestine's affect on Stark County:Health officials say no air quality concerns after East Palestine train derailment

A slew of lawsuits has been filed by East Palestine residents and business owners against Norfolk Southern, which is a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern Corp. The lawsuits accuse Norfolk Southern of negligence in operating the train, as well as defects in its track system or train cars.

An official cause has not been determined, but the National Transportation Safety Board has pointed to a mechanical issue with a rail car axle as a potential cause of the derailment. The safety board plans to release its preliminary report, and possibly some rail safety improvements, near the end of the month.

Norfolk Southern Safety History
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National railroad safety expert Bob Comer: 'They don't care about the safety situation.'

National railroad safety expert Bob Comer, an Alliance native now living in Kansas, believes Norfolk’s less-than-stellar safety record is indicative of the industry he’s studied for 33 years. Comer believes railroads routinely prioritize profits over safety.

Comer, who has investigated more than 800 train crashes and has served as an expert witness in court cases, points to how most major rail companies have moved to operating longer trains with a mix of freight to haul more loads on fewer trips with fewer workers.

“When you think about running a train that is two to three miles long, they are going to make a ton of money from running that train,” said Comer, founder of Forensic & Electronic Research Inc. “They don’t care about the safety situation.”

A crew of three people — a locomotive engineer, a conductor and a conductor trainee — were aboard to monitor the 150 cars on the East Palestine trip, federal safety officials have said.

Comer believes railroads should return to using a caboose that carries personnel to help monitor a train's integrity from the rear and who could apply the emergency brakes when something appears amiss. The requirement for freight trains to have cabooses ended in the 1980s. Railroads now use end-of-train devices or flashing rear-end devices, which Comer says aren't always reliable.

The Federal Railroad Administration has said the data is inconclusive when it comes to the effects of operating longer trains. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, under a request from Congress, began studying the impacts of trains longer than 7,500 feet in September. The study is expected to conclude in June 2024.

What does federal safety data show about Norfolk Southern?

For the analysis, the USA TODAY Network combed through the Federal Railroad Administration’s accident and incident databases and annual reports, as well as consulted with industry experts about Norfolk Southern’s reputation.

Federal safety records show that Norfolk Southern has seen a rise in accidents during the past five years, even though its trains are logging fewer miles now than they did 10 years ago.

Between 2013 and 2017, Norfolk Southern reported an average of 218 accidents a year on the main lines and at company facilities. In the past five years, it has averaged nearly 260 accidents a year. Accidents can range from derailments to collisions to obstructions on the track.

Human error has increasingly been cited as the cause of Norfolk Southern's reported accidents. It was listed as the cause of 59% of the company's 229 accidents in 2022.

The number of Norfolk Southern train accidents in Ohio also has ticked up. The company has reported an average of 32 train accidents a year in Ohio during the past five years, compared with an average of 24 during the previous five-year span.

Norfolk Southern's train derailment statistics

Norfolk Southern has reported an average of 17 derailments a year in Ohio over the past five years, the highest among all railroads.

Its 12 derailments in Ohio in 2022 included:

• An October accident in Sandusky where 21 cars of the 101-car train derailed, spilling 10,000 gallons of paraffin wax that damaged sewers and roads. At least one road has yet to reopen.

• The November derailment of 15 train cars near Steubenville where trash spilled on the tracks and into the Ohio River. Norfolk reported that a tree fell on the train.

• The 22-car derailment in November in Ravenna Township in Portage County where 300 tons of rock salt spilled.

No injuries or deaths were reported in any of the 2022 derailments.

In Ohio and nationally, Norfolk Southern has gradually reduced the number of trains that have left the track over the past decade, which is in line with the other major railroads. Norfolk Southern averaged 173 derailments nationally between 2013 and 2017 but lowered its average to 153 derailments a year during the past five years.

Release of hazardous materials like vinyl chloride from rail cars is rare

The release of hazardous materials from rail cars — like the vinyl chloride released in East Palestine — continues to be rare industrywide. Norfolk Southern has lowered the number of its train cars releasing hazardous materials over the past decade, even though the company has quadrupled the number of its train cars carrying hazardous materials.

The company reported that an average of 871 cars a year carried hazardous materials during the past five years, compared with 184 cars with hazardous materials in the previous five-year span. Only one car released a hazardous substance — the paraffin wax in Sandusky — in 2022.

What does Norfolk Southern say about its train record?

A spokesperson for Norfolk Southern said the safety data points the railroad watches are: Main line rail accidents and employee deaths and serious injuries. He said those statistics show a flat or declining trend, depending on which years are compared. He did not respond to follow-up questions.

On its website, Norfolk Southern emphasizes that its safety standards for track and equipment exceed Federal Railroad Administration requirements and states the federal agency closely monitors its inspection program and safety performance.

Train inspections:Railroads self-inspect track and cars as feds hamstrung by limited resources

It also touts that it is an 18-time national TRANSCAER Achievement Award winner, which recognizes exceptional achievement in voluntary efforts by companies to help communities prepare for and safely respond to incidents involving the transport of hazardous materials.

Read what Norfolk Southern's CEO wrote:Norfolk Southern Corp. CEO tells East Palestine: 'We are here and will stay here'

Association of American Railroads: Safety is top priority

Jessica Kahanek, senior director of media relations for the railroad trade industry group Association of American Railroads, declined to speak specifically about Norfolk Southern's accident record but said safety remains the highest priority for railroads industrywide.

She noted that railroads invest $20 billion annually in maintenance and improvements to prevent accidents before they happen. Railroads also train thousands of first responders on how to safely manage a rail incident.

She also cited statistics that show how rail remains the safest option for transporting hazardous materials: 99.9% of all hazardous materials shipments reach their destination without incident, the hazmat accident rate has declined by 55% since 2012 and less than 1% of all train accidents have resulted in a hazmat release over the last 10 years.

Reach Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @kweirREP

Norfolk Southern Railroad's accident history

The USA TODAY Network combed through the Federal Railroad Administration's databases to better understand Norfolk Southern’s safety record after one of its trains derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3. An analysis shows that Norfolk Southern reported among the highest accident rates nationally among the major railroads.

View more statistics at CantonRep.com.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Norfolk Southern's safety in question after Ohio train derailment