On Tuesday, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it will hold a two-day investigative hearing on June 22-23 to examine the February 3 Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The train was carrying hazardous chemicals, which spilled and caught fire.
The NTSB hearing will include four panels, and NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy hopes to issue a final report on the derailment by early 2024. The panels will cover emergency response, wayside defect detectors and hot bearings, the decision to vent and burn, and rail tank car safety.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw and railroad union leaders issued a joint letter committing to work together to enhance rail safety. The NTSB and Federal Railroad Administration also announced special safety assessments of Norfolk.
The NTSB said another Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed near New Castle, Pennsylvania received a warning several miles before the incident. Homendy said Tuesday the Pennsylvania derailment appears to be related to an overheated wheel bearing. The NTSB said initial information indicated the train received an alarm from a wayside defect detector several miles before the train derailed.