Norfolk Southern under pressure from U.S. senators in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania lawmakers want to ensure communication and safety problems that arose after a Norfolk Southern Corp. train derailed last year in Logan Township, Pa., do not happen again.

The two United States senators say the railroad company failed to share critical safety information with local officials following the train derailment on Dec. 20, 2023, in the central Pennsylvania township, which is located just outside the City of Altoona, Pa.

“Fortunately, no one was injured and no hazardous materials spilled as a result of the derailment,” U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) wrote in a July 15 letter sent to Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw.

“However, we have heard from local leadership, including the Mayor of Altoona and the Altoona Fire Chief, that Norfolk Southern’s information sharing was insufficient, raising concerns about what might happen in the event of a more serious derailment,” wrote the lawmakers, adding that some residents of Altoona and other Pennsylvania communities like it, fear that any derailment could mirror what happened during the company’s fiery and hazardous Feb. 3, 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

“Norfolk Southern may feel that less damaging derailments are not worth flagging for area leaders, but developing and maintaining trust between railroads and local communities is critical,” the senators wrote.

They also questioned Shaw about how the company’s safety and labor practices will impact residents in Altoona, home to the company’s Juniata Locomotive Shop, as Norfolk Southern prepares to pursue a new scheduling operation, entitled “Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) 2.0.”

Specifically, Casey and Fetterman have “serious concerns” about safety protections in and around the Altoona locomotive shop and noted that when Norfolk Southern first pursued PSR in 2019, the plan resulted in more than 300 workers at the shop being laid off in just over two years.

“The recent profit-driven operational changes made under the banner of PSR have translated to longer trains and fewer staff, raising concerns about both [the] safety of rail workers and the quality of service for the companies that depend on railroads to move their products,” the senators wrote. “Even after the derailment, your company has continued to pursue PSR 2.0, turning a blind eye to the harmful impacts to safety and to workers from the first round of PSR.”

And while some of those workers have been brought back by Norfolk Southern, the total number of workers at the Juniata Locomotive Shop remains below where it was before PSR began, say the senators, who are worried that fewer workers at the locomotive shop will mean more work piled onto the shoulders of the remaining employees.

“Additionally, we take serious issue with this practice of hiring, firing, and re-hiring workers rather than maintaining a consistent workforce,” wrote Casey and Fetterman. “Skilled rail workers are not pawns in Norfolk Southern’s perpetual quest to maximize profits — they are people with families who deserve fairness and stability.”

The senators asked Shaw to explain what staffing changes he intends to make at the Juniata Locomotive Shop and whether Norfolk Southern will provide an opportunity for worker input on decisions about operational changes that involve tradeoffs between safety and efficiency, among other questions.

“Norfolk Southern plays an important role in the economy of the City of Altoona and the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, creating jobs for skilled workers and moving the goods that power our economy,” they wrote. “However, that importance does not supplant the company’s obligation to be a responsible member of the community and treat its workers with fairness.”

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