Railroad CEO to testify in Congress about Ohio derailment

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The CEO of Norfolk Southern railroad will testify in Congress next week about last month’s fiery Ohio derailment and the precautions the railroad takes to prevent similar crashes. The railroad said Wednesday that Alan Shaw will appear before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works next Thursday. Already, several lawmakers have proposed a series of rail safety reforms in response to the Feb. 3 derailment that forced the evacuation of half the town of East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border. The National Transportation Safety Board has said that an overheating bearing likely caused the derailment that sent 38 cars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials, off the tracks.