NTSB chair says wheel bearing at center of East Palestine train derailment was refurbished in 2011
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (KDKA) — Nearly two months since a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, and released toxic chemicals into the environment, the head of the NTSB made her first visit to the region.
She also shared exclusive details for the first time on the investigation.
On Wednesday afternoon, a meeting took place nearly two months in the making between East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway and the NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.
"It's great to meet with you in person finally," Homendy said.
Homendy witnessed the aftermath of the toxic train derailment for the first time in person Tuesday and Wednesday, meeting lawmakers, local officials, railroad workers and first responders in both East Palestine and Darlington Township, Pennsylvania.
She called it a low-key visit, one she would have made sooner if it weren't for a foot injury.
"I see a lot of families, a lot of hardworking people, and a lot of a town built up around railroad tracks or vice versa, and I think this could happen anywhere," Homendy said.
The agency believes the derailment occurred due to an overheated wheel bearing on Car 23. For the first time, Homendy revealed to KDKA-TV that the hopper car is owned by the rail car leasing company GATX and that the bearing was refurbished in 2011.
"Because we know it was remanufactured, we're going to look at that process in depth to figure out, OK, what did occur here?" Homendy said.
She also said before Norfolk Southern got ahold of that car in Madison, Illinois, two days prior to the crash, it traveled with multiple other railroads, including Union Pacific.
There are several parties in play when it comes to these freight trains, the cars on them, and the materials being transported, but Homendy made an interesting comment about the final leg of the ride leading to East Palestine.
"Once Norfolk Southern takes possession of it, it is their responsibility to ensure safety," Homendy said.
The NTSB chair said Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw is cooperating, though last week at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing, she shared one piece of information was lacking.
"The locomotive was equipped with an inward-facing camera. However, since the locomotive was put immediately back into service following the accident, the data was overwritten," Homendy told the committee.
Fifteen minutes before the derailment and five minutes after, 20 total minutes of video is all the NTSB received from Norfolk Southern.
"When our team finally looked at the recording in our lab, they realized where's the rest of it? And so they contact Norfolk Southern and they don't have it," Homendy said.
Homendy said Norfolk Southern's camera was capable of recording 12 hours at a time, so 11 hours and 40 minutes are missing.
Freight railroads aren't required to have cameras like those on passenger and community railways, which Homendy wants to change.
"That's something we're recommending and have kept recommending for years," Homendy said.
Homendy anticipates filing a safety recommendation on this matter for the Federal Railroad Administration to mandate 12-hour cameras and in turn, require railroads to provide video to the NTSB when involved in investigations.
"Once it becomes enforceable and part of the regulations, they have to deliver that full 12 hours or there's a violation of the regulation," Homendy said.
The NTSB will be having a special investigative field hearing in June at East Palestine High School. Homendy plans to hold town halls for the communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio in the days prior.
