(Television station WDBJ posted the following on its website on March 2, 2010. To view a video of this report, please visit:
RICHMOND, Va. — You’ve probably seen them along Norfolk Southern tracks in western Virginia: the mobile camps where maintenance crews stay while they’re on the job.
Tuesday in Richmond, members of a General Assembly committee considered whether the state should regulate the living conditions there.
Norfolk Southern has more than 200 of the mobile camp cars.
A representative of the railroad says they’re especially useful in rural parts of southwest Virginia.
But union members have complained of cramped quarters, inadequate sanitation and sub-standard cooking facilities.
“We’re talking about having a bed, having a place to sleep, having some water so you can wash your face,” says Del. Johnny Joannou/(D) Portsmouth.
“I will tell you there was no barracks that I ever lived in, whether it was Virginia Military Institute, or while I was in the Marine Corps that would have passed these standards. And when I was in a submarine we could have failed on a variety of levels. There are all sorts of requirements, very specific details that are going to cost money to comply with,” says Del. Bill Janis/(R) Glen Allen.
Norfolk Southern says it spent more than $6 million to retro-fit the camp cars in 2008 and 2009.
Committee members are concerned that new federal regulations due out this year would override any state standards.
The Commerce and Labor Committee defeated the bill, but Portsmouth Senator Louise Lucas said she’ll be back if the new federal regulations fail to fix the issue.