NORFOLK SOUTHERN

President Joe Biden ordered federal agencies to continue holding Norfolk Southern accountable for its February derailment in eastern Ohio and appoint a FEMA official to oversee East Palestine's recovery, but he stopped short of declaring a disaster.

The railroad industry is trying to make sure that emergency responders can quickly look up what is on a train quickly when they respond to a derailment.

Norfolk Southern announced new details Monday about its plan to compensate East Palestine residents for lost home values since the fiery derailment disrupted life in the eastern Ohio town in February.

Norfolk Southern's CEO pledged to continue working to improve safety after the consultant the railroad hired after the fiery Ohio derailment in February recommended making sure that safety is truly a priority at all levels and continuing many of the efforts it has already begun.

Lawyers and unions representing rail workers say there is a clear pattern across the industry of railroads retaliating against workers who report safety violations or injuries on the job.

The Wasena Bridge replacement project is set to begin, after over three years of setbacks.

The Biden administration says it could soon launch a formal evaluation of risks posed by vinyl chloride, the cancer-causing chemical that burned in a towering plume of toxic smoke following the fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Regulators say Norfolk Southern has made improvements since a fiery Ohio derailment but still falls well short of being the “gold standard for safety” it is striving to be.

Congress responded to the fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio earlier this year with bipartisan alarm at railroad crashes causing potential disasters.

A minor coal train derailment in Virginia in early July prompted Norfolk Southern to rethink the way it responds to problems with overheating bearings.

The costs associated with Norfolk Southern's fiery February derailment in Ohio have more than doubled to $803 million as the railroad works to clean up the mess and moves forward with all the related lawsuits.

One Christiansburg woman is pushing for change after being stranded across the train tracks from her house for nearly 17 hours.

Crews at the scene of a Norfolk Southern train derailment in Elliston that took place Thursday night.

The railroad industry has sued to block a new minimum crew-size requirement that Ohio imposed after a fiery train derailment in East Palestine in February.

Norfolk Southern says the owner of the rail car that caused the fiery Ohio derailment in February failed to properly maintain it in the years before the crash.

Norfolk Southern’s CEO has spoken often of safety and better service since he took the job over a year ago, but it’s safety that has dominated discussions after one of his trains derailed and caught fire in February in Ohio.

Spurred on by train derailments, some states crisscrossed by busy freight railroads aren’t waiting for federal action to improve safety.

Officials say firefighters who responded to February’s fiery train derailment in Ohio struggled to immediately identify the hazardous chemicals the train was hauling due to poor communication from the railroad.

Federal regulators want first responders to a train derailment to know exactly what they are dealing with even before they reach the scene.

A 39-year-old man has died after being hit by a train, according to the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office.

Officials say they plan to conduct safety investigations of all the major freight railroads over the next year.

The union that represents railroad engineers has finally secured its first deal for paid sick time with Norfolk Southern.

A Senate panel has approved a rail-safety measure in response to the train derailment earlier this year in East Palestine, Ohio.

Norfolk Southern’s CEO has reiterated apologies for the East Palestine train derailment and toxic chemical release as well as vows to make things right during his first testimony at the Ohio Legislature since the fiery accident.

Norfolk Southern crews will soon be working on road crossings in the city of Salem, impacting traffic, officials say.

The federal government has filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern over environmental damage caused by a train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border that spilled hazardous chemicals into nearby creeks and rivers.

Union Pacific has become the second major freight railroad in the past week to back away from the industry's longstanding push to cut train crews down to one person as lawmakers and regulators increasingly focus on rail safety following last month's fiery derailment in Ohio.

A bipartisan consensus that Congress should act to toughen regulations on railroads is emerging in the U.S. Senate.

Norfolk Southern’s CEO is offering support for some parts of a bipartisan Senate bill to put tougher safety regulations on railroads.

Federal investigators say a Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Alabama earlier this month lacked required alignment control couplers and a company inspection didn't identify their absence.

Ohio has filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month.

Norfolk Southern’s CEO is apologizing to Congress and pledging millions of dollars to help East Palestine, Ohio, recover from last month's fiery train derailment.

The chief executive of one of the nation’s largest railroads is preparing to tell a Senate committee he is “deeply sorry” for the fiery derailment last month on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.

Federal investigators have announced a special investigation into railroad Norfolk Southern.

Norfolk Southern says it plans to improve the use of detectors along the tracks that are supposed to spot overheating bearings and other problems in the wake of a fiery Ohio derailment a month ago.

Norfolk Southern has launched a six-point safety plan to immediately enhance the safety of its operations after the Ohio train derailment that raised concern across the country, officials said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro says Norfolk Southern has pledged several million dollars to cover the cost of the response and recovery in Pennsylvania after last month’s derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals just across the border in Ohio.

Authorities in Ohio say there is no indication of any risk to public health from the derailment of a Norfolk Southern cargo train between Dayton and Columbus, the second derailment of a company train in the state in a month.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is ordering rail operator Norfolk Southern to begin testing for dioxins in the area where a train carrying toxic chemicals in Ohio.

Residents are saying they’re still suffering from illnesses nearly a month after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in Ohio.

The CEO of Norfolk Southern railroad will testify in Congress next week about last month's fiery Ohio derailment and the precautions the railroad takes to prevent similar crashes.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has proposed legislation that would make railroads, like the one involved in last month’s fiery crash and toxic chemical release in Ohio, subject to a series of new federal safety regulations and financial consequences.

Federal regulators are urging freight railroads to reexamine the way they use and maintain the detectors along the tracks that are supposed to spot overheating bearings in the wake of the fiery Ohio derailment and several other recent crashes where faulty bearings are suspected to be the cause.

Cleanup continues after a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Ohio. Meanwhile, Roanoke officials are preparing in the event something like this happens in the Star City.

Federal environmental authorities say shipment of contaminated waste from the site of a fiery train derailment will resume Monday to two Ohio sites.

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, say they are still fearful as activist Erin Brockovich warns they are in for a long battle after a train derailment earlier this month.

The White House is calling on congressional Republicans to increase the fines levied on rail companies for safety violations in the wake of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

The crew operating a freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, didn’t get much warning before dozens of cars went off the tracks, and there is no indication that crew members did anything wrong.

Norfolk Southern has become the third major freight railroad to offer some of its employees paid sick time.

Donald Trump is criticizing the federal response to the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as a betrayal.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered Norfolk Southern on Tuesday to pay for the cleanup of the East Palestine, Ohio train wreck and chemical release as federal regulators took charge of long-term recovery efforts and promised worried residents they wouldn’t be forgotten.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wants the nation’s freight railroads to immediately act to improve safety while regulators try to strengthen safety rules in the wake of a fiery derailment in Ohio that forced evacuations when toxic chemicals were released and burned.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is warning the CEO of Norfolk Southern that the freight rail company must “demonstrate unequivocal support for the people” of East Palestine, Ohio, and surrounding areas.

Two train derailments in neighboring states had very different outcomes — and officials say that's not unusual.

Ohio’s governor says a plume of chemicals that spilled into the Ohio River after a fiery train derailment has broken up and is no longer a concern.

The Biden administration is defending its response to a freight train derailment in Ohio that left toxic chemicals spilled or burned off, even as local leaders and members of Congress demanded that more be done.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality weighs in on concerns of neighboring impacts of Ohio train derailment.

West Virginia officials are reiterating that the state’s drinking water is safe following an Ohio train derailment that released a toxic plume of chemicals.

Wholesale prices in the United States reaccelerated in January, indicating that inflation pressures continue to underlie the U.S. economy despite longer-term signs of improvement.

The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is trying to assure residents forced from their homes by a toxic train derailment in Ohio nearly two weeks ago that testing shows the air and water are now safe.

Residents of the Ohio village upended by a freight train derailment packed a school gym to seek answers about whether they are safe from toxic chemicals that spilled or were burned off.

Plumes of smoke, questions about dead animals, worries about the drinking water.

The Norfolk Southern Railway Company has agreed to pay a civil charge of $27,300 after coal hopper rail cars derailed and spilled into the Roanoke River in 2020, according to the consent order.

Officials are asking about railroad safety after a fiery derailment in Ohio generated a huge plume of smoke and forced evacuations in a small town because of concerns about the toxic chemicals the train was carrying.

A big fireball and billowing smoke rose into the sky when officials released and burned toxic chemicals from the wreckage of a derailed train in an Ohio village.

Officials monitoring the smoldering, tangled wreckage of a train derailment in Ohio have warned hundreds of nearby residents who had declined to evacuate to do so immediately, citing concerns about a potential explosion.

A train derailment and resulting large fire have prompted an evacuation order in an Ohio village near the Pennsylvania state line.

Shrugging off rampant inflation and rising interest rates, the U.S. economy grew at an unexpectedly strong 3.2% annual pace from July through September, the government reported Thursday in a healthy upgrade from its earlier estimate of third-quarter growth.

The major freight railroads now face pressure from investors to add sick days after Congress declined to require them as part of the contracts they imposed last week to avert a potentially devastating nationwide rail strike.

A second railroad union has rejected its deal with the major U.S. freight railroads, reflecting workers’ increasing frustration with the lack of paid sick time in the industry.

A union that rejected its deal with the nation’s freight railroads earlier this month now has a new tentative agreement.

Railroad workers secured a deal that will deliver 24% raises and $5,000 bonuses over five years, but it will also address some of their concerns about strict attendance rules and time off.

Supply chain issues along with commuter routes are just some areas that could see an impact from a nationwide freight railroad strike.

Asian shares are mostly higher after modest gains on Wall Street.

Business and government officials are bracing for the possibility of a nationwide rail strike at the end of this week while talks carry on between the largest U.S. freight railroads and their unions.

Railroads will be required to maintain two-person crews under a new rule announced Wednesday that will thwart the industry’s efforts to cut crews down to one person.

Norfolk Southern is increasing their pay and offering other incentives to draw in more employees.

Some grain elevators are so full that farmers trying to sell their crops are being turned away.

Norfolk Southern railroad delivered 13% higher profit in the fourth quarter even though the amount of cargo it transported declined because it was able to raise rates.

What’s been assumed is now set in stone.

Amtrak and Norfolk Southern are inching closer to a final deal to bring a second Amtrak train to Roanoke.

Another major railroad has gone to court to determine whether it has the authority to require all its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Norfolk Southern’s third-quarter profit jumped 32% even though the number of shipments the railroad delivered remained relatively flat because it was able to increase prices on most categories of freight.

It’s the end of the line for the Roanoke Valley trash train. The rail spur to the landfill is being paved over and trucks will soon take over for rail cars.

The Queen of Steam will be back on the move.

It’s been more than a year since Norfolk Southern announced it would be shuttering major operations in Roanoke and laying off workers.

Last month, the school board voted to bring students back to class four days a week with one day online. The school board was split four to three on the decision. The Bedford County Board of Supervisors will hold a work session today. The Welcoming Roanoke Plan is the city’s immigrant integration plan, highlighting and enhancing the economic contributions they make to the community. AdThe Virginia Tech Board of Visitors will receive comments today about tuition and fees for the upcoming school year.

FILE- In this July 31, 2018, file photo a Union Pacific train travels through Union, Neb. – A federal judge has ruled that the details of conversations between the nation's four largest railroads should be included in lawsuits challenging billions of dollars of charges the railroads imposed in the past. The lawsuits say the railroads conspired to boost prices starting in 2003 by imposing coordinated fuel surcharges and pocketing billions of dollars in profits. In the lawsuits, the railroads have argued that their fuel surcharges were legal and were simply designed to recover the skyrocketing cost of fuel at the time. Union Pacific, which is based in Omaha, Nebraska, plans to continue “vigorously defending itself against the allegations in these lawsuits,” spokeswoman Elizabeth Graham said.

ROANOKE, Va – Norfolk Southern could be facing environmental violations after a train derailment spilled coal into the Roanoke River late last year. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a notice to Norfolk Southern after tons of coal sat in the river potentially causing environmental impacts to the area. Norfolk Southern is collecting daily samples from the river and the first sample results are expected Tuesday. (Roanoke County Fire & EMS)According to the document, coal was visible in the river at least six miles away from the derailment. DEQ issuing the notice could mean that Norfolk Southern could be facing fines down the road.

Some employees who work in Norfolk Southern’s mechanical department will be furloughed, the company announced on Wednesday. Employees who were furloughed may be able to apply for other positions at Norfolk Southern, according to the company representative. Norfolk Southern announced a round of furloughs for employees in early January 2020. READ THE FULL STATEMENT FROM NORFOLK SOUTHERN:“Norfolk Southern informed employees of furloughs within our mechanical department that are needed to align our operations with the current economy. Furloughed employees may have the opportunity to apply for positions, as available, elsewhere on the NS system.”

ROANOKE, Va. – UPDATE - Dec. 17 at 10:00 a.m.All nine of the derailed train cars have been cleared from the tracks as of Thursday morning, according to a Norfolk Southern spokesperson. UPDATE - Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m.Norfolk Southern Spokesperson Jeff DeGraff tells 10 News the 145 car-long train was heading east when nine cars derailed and some of the cars were carrying automobiles. On June 7, a train derailment was caused by human error in handling cars. However, the cause for another train derailment on Oct. 31 has yet to be determined as the investigation continues. ORIGINAL STORYCrews are currently working to clean up after a train leaving the Roanoke rail yard derailed nine cars, according to Norfolk Southern.

ROANOKE, Va. – Crews removed 22 rail cars from the Roanoke River following a train derailment on Friday. The train derailed after a bridge collapsed in Roanoke County Friday night. The water supply and water quality is not currently affected, according to officials. The Salem Water Treatment Plant is currently withdrawing from groundwater wells and not from the river at this time. Soon after the spill occurred, the water treatment plant switched to back-up water sources, which prevented possible impacts from coal contamination.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – UPDATERoanoke County officials responded to the train derailment incident in a press release Saturday night. Officials said that a Norfolk Southern Corp. bridge collapsed in Roanoke County near Barley Drive Friday night around 11:15 p.m. The bridge collapsed while a train carrying coal was crossing the Roanoke River, and a dozen of 22 rail cars that derailed fell into the river, causing about 2000 tons of coal to fall out. ORIGINAL STORYA Norfolk Southern train derailed in Roanoke County late Friday night, according to emergency dispatch. Norfolk Southern train derailment in Roanoke County.

ROANOKE, Va. – A new addition to a Roanoke rail yard will help keep the city’s train history alive. Roanoke’s chapter of the National Railway Historical Society built a structure on its property to protect both train cars and volunteers from the weather. The structure will soon house Norfolk & Western car 512, a formerly segregated passenger car, as volunteers work to restore it. Chapter vice president Gary Gray said volunteers have often been interrupted in their restoration work by the weather. "It’s going to be great to be able to not get wet.”According to Gray, the new shelter costs $50,000 to construct, which the chapter paid for themselves.

ARLINGTON, Va. A major piece in potentially bringing more Amtrak service to Roanoke passed a crucial step on Wednesday. The Long Bridge project would alleviate train traffic between Arlington and Washington with two new train bridges over the Potomac River. Virginia Department of Public Rail and Transportation director Jennifer Mitchell said the current bridge over the Potomac River is at 98% capacity, making it impossible to expand Amtrak service. She said the Long Bridge project will not only open up new Amtrak possibilities, but take freight traffic away from Interstate 81. We know people are looking for an alternative to I-81, so we hope we can continue to expand passenger service.The Long Bridge project is in its early stages.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – More than two dozen Franklin County residents are asking for help after being cut off from emergency services because of a bridge in disrepair. With a letter in 2016, Franklin County Public Safety cut residents off from emergency vehicle access. Norfolk Southern has performed maintenance on the bridge from time to time to protect the track underneath and to prevent interference with railroad operations. However, Norfolk Southern is prepared to cooperate in any state or local efforts to provide alternative access.”“It’s their bridge, it’s their responsibility. 10 News reached out to Franklin County Public Safety and the Franklin County Board of Supervisors for comment, but had not heard back as of Monday afternoon.

ROANOKE, Va. – The Virginia Museum of Transportation reopens on Thursday. The date, 6-11, is the same number as the famous Norfolk Southern steam engine in Roanoke, known as “The Queen of Steam.”When the museum reopens, the price of admission will be reduced because not all features are usable due to coronavirus restrictions. “6-11 seemed like the appropriate day to move forward, so we’ve been in here this week doing final cleaning and hanging the appropriate signs that we’re required to hang,” museum interim director Don Moser said. “We’re looking forward to having our VMT community back.”All of the features that are currently unusable are expected to be back once the state enters phase three of the governor’s reopening plan.

ROANOKE, Va. – It’s the end of an era in Roanoke as one of what are known as “The Big Three” class of Norfolk Southern steam engines leaves. Engine 2156 left Wednesday afternoon for the transportation museum in St. Louis. It had been loaned to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke for the past five years to be with engines from the other two classes. “We did work with the museum in St. Louis to try to come to an agreement on possibly keeping it. He said the museum may try to get it back in the future.

A train has derailed in downtown Roanoke under 5th street bridge. According to Roanoke City dispatchers, the crash happened before 4:30 a.m. Norfolk Southern is on the scene of the crash. A city engineer was called to the scene to inspect the 5th street bridge. The bridge is closed to traffic at this time. 10 News is working to gather more information and has a news crew on scene.