(The following article by Tony Baughman was posted on the Aiken Standard website on January 11.)
AIKEN, S.C. — Even with the scars of Graniteville scratched across its record, Norfolk Southern says 2005 was a “good year” for company safety.
In the December issue of the Norfolk Southern corporate newsletter, CEO Wick Moorman wrote, “We maintained our record as the safest Class I railroad in the nation, a matter of tremendous pride for us all.” The year-end report touted the fact that Norfolk Southern won the railroad industry’s E.H. Harriman Gold Medal Award for employee safety for the 16th straight year.
“It was a good year, Graniteville notwithstanding,” said Robin Chapman, spokesman for Norfolk Southern.
The Jan. 6, 2005, crash in Graniteville that leaked chlorine gas and killed nine people was the company’s only derailment that led to non-employee fatalities last year, he said.
“There have been other accidents involving fatalities – grade crossings accidents,” Chapman said. “Unfortunately, those happen every year.”
The E.H. Harriman Award, given annually in May by a private foundation named for 19th century railroad entrepreneur Edwin Harriman, recognizes railroads’ internal employee safety for the preceding year. Last May’s honor was based on Norfolk Southern’s 2004 safety record.
Chapman doesn’t believe the Graniteville accident, however tragic, will affect Norfolk Southern’s chances of winning the Harriman gold medal for the 17th consecutive time.
“We are still out front,” he said of Norfolk Southern’s safety record compared to other railroads. “In terms of industry recognition, the Harriman is the only industry-wide recognition out there. The accident probably would not have a significant effect because it only looks at employee safety.”
Looking ahead to 2006, Norfolk Southern is still evaluating safety recommendations that came out of the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the Graniteville accident. Those recommendations included installing signals that alert crews to the status of manual switches at rail junctions; notifying crews on moving trains of switch positions; requiring trains to operate at speeds that would allow them to stop when trouble is encountered on the rails; placing hazardous materials cars toward the rear of trains; and providing emergency breathing equipment for crews on every train.
The one safety initiative Norfolk Southern has taken on its own, which will continue throughout 2006, is testing a new Optimized Train Control system. The experimental system uses computers, global positioning technology and wireless data communications to inform crews of switch positions and other rail conditions. It also would take control of trains’ braking systems automatically if crews did not respond to reports of trouble on the line.
“It uses technology that has just now become available,” Chapman said, noting that tests now being conducted on the system – along a lonely stretch of rail between Columbia and Charleston – will continue for at least “a couple of years.”
The railroad then will evaluate its effectiveness and the price tag of integrating the system into all Norfolk Southern freight trains.
“It would be a significant investment,” he said. “I think it’s too soon to offer any reliable estimates of what it will cost. I’m sure our people have numbers, but it’s not something they’re ready to talk about yet.”
Until the system, if it proves effective, and other safety measures become reality, Chapman said Norfolk Southern will continue to work to preserve its safety record and try to prevent nights like those in Graniteville from happening again.