(The following article by Malia Rulon was posted on the Cincinnati Enquirer website on September 8.)
WASHINGTON — Rail America and the Federal Railroad Administration have agreed to answer questions about how a tanker car that started spewing toxic fumes last week came to be abandoned in Cincinnati, Rep. Jean Schmidt said after a meeting with officials late Wednesday.
But as has been the case since the tanker filled with the toxic chemical styrene first started shooting steam, answers were not immediately available.
Schmidt’s office said it expects to release information about the incident soon, perhaps as early as today. In the meantime, Schmidt described the 90-minute, closed-door meeting as positive.
“Today’s meeting was an important step toward getting answers to our questions, and ensuring a similar situation never happens again in any community across the nation,” Schmidt said.
The meeting included Schmidt; fellow Ohio Rep. Steve LaTourette, chairman of the House Transportation subcommittee on railroads; FRA head Joseph Boardman; and Rail America CEO Charles Swinburn. Rail America owns the Indiana & Ohio Rail Corp., on whose tracks the tanker sat – possibly for up to five months – near Lunken Airport.
Schmidt said she has asked the FRA to provide an update of its internal investigation into the mishap and describe what safety plans are in place to keep a similar situation from happening again.
Schmidt chief of staff Barry Bennett said it’s unlikely that a congressional hearing will be held on the issue.