Train Broke Down Just Days Before Derailing in Ohio, Employees Say

A Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, two weeks ago experienced problems before the disaster, employees of the railroad told CBS News. In fact, it broke down just two days before derailing—likely due to its excess size and weight, the employees claimed. The train was 151 cars long, stretched 9,300 feet and weighed in at 18,000 tons, all significantly larger numbers than employees said was safe. The increased weight and length also might have made the train’s eventual derailment worse. “We shouldn’t be running trains that are 150 car lengths long,” one of the employees told CBS. “In this case, had the train not been 18,000 tons, it’s very likely the effects of the derailment would have been mitigated.” The company declined an interview but strenuously denied any safety issues raised by the employees. “The weight distribution of this train was uniform throughout,” a spokesperson said in a statement. They also pointed out that the train fluctuates in length and weight throughout its trip as it drops off and takes on cars. “Assigning a ‘reputation’ to a train that fluctuates by thousands of tons on a regular basis is inaccurate,” the spokesperson added.