Augie RayFeb 16, 2023

In 2016, Columbiana County, where East Palestine is located, votes for Trump by 42 points.

In 2018, Trump rescinds Obama-era train-braking rule that would have prevented accidents as just happened in East Palestine.

In 2020, Columbiana County voted for Trump by 45 points.

Biden offers help, and Republican governor says, “I will not hesitate to call him if we see a problem but I’m not seeing it.”

Republicans: This is all Biden's and Buttigieg's fault!

Show threadStoney TakesFeb 16, 2023

@augieray I have been following this story as closely as I can. Is there any official word that connects the rescinded brake rule with the overheated bearings being investigated?

https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/02/14/ntsb-announces-preliminary-malfunction-that-caused-east-palestine-train-derailment/

NTSB announces preliminary malfunction that caused East Palestine train derailment

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report naming the malfunction that cause a train carrying hazardous chemicals to derail in East Palestine on Feb. 3.

Cleveland 19 News
Show threadAugie RayFeb 16, 2023

@Stoneycase I am sure it will be some time before we know for sure, but I think we might focus on the larger issues of Federal Republicans cutting safety regulations and Ohio Republicans refusing and delaying assistance from the Feds.

https://news.yahoo.com/ohios-toxic-train-disaster-follows-192450609.html

Yahooist Teil der Yahoo Markenfamilie

Show threadStoney TakesFeb 16, 2023
@augieray the worst thing I read (but didn’t bookmark) is that inspection times / rail car have been slashed due to cost cutting measures at the point of origin. A proper visual inspection may have caught this problem. Peeled back regulation, shrinking staff, corporate cost cutting, record profits. Real world destruction. It’s all too much sometimes. My Italian family lives within about an 1.5 hr radius from the accident
Show threadStoney Takes
@augieray found it!
“In our view, I don’t think you can separate the drastic reduction in workforce over the past seven or eight years, from the increase in accidents, the rate of safety incidents,” said Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, the union representing rail labor.
Feb 17, 2023 at 5:34pmWeb
Show threadStoney TakesFeb 17, 2023

@augieray “What people see on the ground is a really big amount of pressure on moving as fast as possible, as lean as possible, and generating as much profit as possible.”
Regan noted that because there is no minimum inspection time required for railcars, the time taken for workers to inspect cars has dropped from two minutes to 40 or 45 seconds. “

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2023/02/14/norfolk-southerns-ohio-train-derailment-emblematic-rail-trends/11248956002/

Trains are becoming less safe. Why the Ohio derailment disaster could happen more often

Efforts to keep costs down and make railroads more efficient have made trains less safe, experts told USA TODAY.

USA TODAY