(The following article by Malia Rulon was posted on the Cincinnati Enquirer website on September 9.)
WASHINGTON — The federal agency with oversight of the nation’s railroads has finished inspecting Cincinnati’s rail cars and hasn’t found any other potential chemical leaks, Rep. Jean Schmidt said Thursday.
The citywide inspection was ordered after an abandoned tanker car near Lunken Airport started leaking styrene Aug. 28, causing 800 properties to be evacuated from the East End.
The Federal Railroad Administration also will issue a national advisory to all rail operators that handle hazardous shipments, reminding them of the procedures that must be followed, said Schmidt, R-Miami Township, Clermont County.
The advisory will remind railroads to closely follow industry standards for tracking shipments.
Schmidt said that Rail America, which owns the Indiana & Ohio Rail Corp. – on whose tracks the tanker sat, possibly for up to five months – has promised that it will soon implement a new national rail-car tracking system.
Federal Railroad Administration spokesman Steve Kulm confirmed that the city had no other stray chemical cars.
Wednesday, Schmidt met separately with fellow Rep. Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio, who is chairman of the House Transportation subcommittee on railroads, and the heads of Rail America and the FRA.
She plans to wait for the FRA’s internal investigation to be completed before deciding whether to push for a congressional hearing or legislation to improve oversight of the nation’s railroads, chief of staff Barry Bennett said.
LaTourette called the developments Thursday “great progress.”
“Cincinnati residents can be confident that their safety concerns are being addressed,” he said.