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Wall Street Journal page 1 article NS safety issues

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  • Member since
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  • From: Valparaiso, In
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Wall Street Journal page 1 article NS safety issues
Posted by MP173 on Friday, March 31, 2023 5:49 AM

Today (March 31) has a pretty damning article on the safety culture (or lack of) at NS.  It is behind a paywall but can probably be accessed.

Among many items discussed, the article points out that NS sets guidlines to inspect a railcar in one minute.

The article points out that derailments have fallen over the years (by half since 2000).  Further NS reported fewer derailments in 2022 than any year in the past 10 years.

Pretty good article...worth the read.  Of course there is other considerable BIG NEWS today also including the arrest of a WSJ reporter in Moscow...among other things.

Ed

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, March 31, 2023 7:14 AM

MP173
The article points out that derailments have fallen over the years (by half since 2000).  Further NS reported fewer derailments in 2022 than any year in the past 10 years.

Interesting conundrum.  Their record is better, yet they're getting crucified...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
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  • From: Valparaiso, In
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Posted by MP173 on Friday, March 31, 2023 7:48 AM

I dont have access to data, so it is difficult to comment...but if you are running PSR operations with longer trains, then your "train miles" would decrease.  There must be other matrix to measure safety in the rail industry.  Perhaps others can comment.  

There certainly seem to have been a number of "big bang" high visiblity derailments of late.  

Ed

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  • From: US
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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, March 31, 2023 7:55 AM

MP173
I dont have access to data, so it is difficult to comment...but if you are running PSR operations with longer trains, then your "train miles" would decrease.  There must be other matrix to measure safety in the rail industry.  Perhaps others can comment.  

There certainly seem to have been a number of "big bang" high visiblity derailments of late.  

Ed

Wall Street activist investors exert pressures on a company for various metrics to be reported in certain ways.  Safety metrics are one of those where pressure gets placed on the scale of measurement.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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  • From: MP CF161.6 NS's New Castle District in NE Indiana
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Posted by rrnut282 on Friday, March 31, 2023 12:30 PM

Is that why they report MGT/operable brake?

Mike (2-8-2)
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Posted by Convicted One on Friday, March 31, 2023 12:59 PM

tree68
Interesting conundrum.  Their record is better, yet they're getting crucified...

 

Isn't that typical?  I spent an entire career exceeding quotas, yet it was invariably what I failed to achieve that got all the attention.   

  • Member since
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  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, March 31, 2023 1:53 PM

Convicted One

 

 
tree68
Interesting conundrum.  Their record is better, yet they're getting crucified...

 

 

Isn't that typical?  I spent an entire career exceeding quotas, yet it was invariably what I failed to achieve that got all the attention.   

 
I don't recall reading or hearing anywhere that life was fair.
The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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  • From: Northern New York
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Posted by tree68 on Friday, March 31, 2023 2:14 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH
I don't recall reading or hearing anywhere that life was fair.

True that...

Gotta find one of my "Attaboy" certificates...

https://forum.manjaro.org/uploads/default/original/3X/7/7/77352bf1d9d80b8c76aea25e3f4c2a9faef57f59.png

 

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,190 posts
Posted by mvlandsw on Friday, March 31, 2023 9:54 PM

Our trainmaster used to say "One aw s--t cancels out a whole stack of "Attaboys".

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