Dan Schwartz
What’s Missing From Railroad Safety Data? Dead Workers and Severed Limbs.
Thanks to government loopholes, rail companies haven’t been scrutinized by the Federal Railroad Administration for scores of alleged worker injuries and at least two deaths.
“It Looks Like the Railroad Is Asking for You to Say Thank You”
After brakeman Chris Cole lost both his legs on the job, railroad officials removed evidence before state regulators could see it, omitted key facts in reports and suspended him from a job he could never return to.
When Railroad Workers Get Hurt on the Job, Some Supervisors Go to Extremes to Keep It Quiet
Railroad officials have lied, spied and bribed to keep workers’ injuries off the books. “Don’t put your job on the line for another employee.”
“Do Your Job.” How the Railroad Industry Intimidates Employees Into Putting Speed Before Safety
Railroad companies have penalized workers for taking the time to make needed repairs and created a culture in which supervisors threaten and fire the very people hired to keep trains running safely. Regulators say they can’t stop this intimidation.
Help ProPublica Report on Railroad Worker Safety
Many railroad employees tell us being injured on the job or reporting a safety concern can be fraught with consequences. Our investigative journalists want to talk with insiders in order to tell this story right.
Blocked Crossings Crisis Draws Local and National Calls for Action
After seeing images of kids crawling under trains, regulators ask companies to address blocked crossings, lawmakers demand consequences, residents clamor for solutions and Norfolk Southern’s CEO calls a mayor to work out a fix.
As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School
When crossings are blocked for hours, kids risk their lives to get to school by crawling through trains that could start at any moment. Ambulances and fire trucks can’t get through. The problem has existed for decades. But it’s getting worse.
The True Dangers of Long Trains
Trains are getting longer. Railroads are getting richer. But these “monster trains” are jumping off of tracks across America and regulators are doing little to curb the risk.
A Norfolk Southern Policy Lets Officials Order Crews to Ignore Safety Alerts
In October, months before the East Palestine derailment, the company also directed a train to keep moving with an overheated wheel that caused it to derail miles later in Sandusky, Ohio.
Do Blocked Railroad Crossings Endanger Your Community? Tell Us More.
We want to understand what stationary and long trains mean for EMS, firefighters, police and families across the country.
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