Norfolk Southern and other big railroads will join the FRA 'close call' program
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In the wake of Norfolk Southern's (NYSE:NSC) train derailment last month in East Palestine, Ohio, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote the CEOs of the seven major railroads to ask them to join the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Confidential Close Call Reporting System, which allows workers to report safety issues without fear of reprisal.

Despite years of refusing to do so, Association of American Railroads (AAR) CEO Ian Jefferies replied to Buttigieg that all seven Class I railroads will join the voluntary safety reporting program.
Specifically, AAR wants FRA to improve the quality and speed of reporting, ensure that reports are kept confidential, take steps to prevent employee misuse of the program, and share information in a more timely manner.
The railroads joining are Norfolk Southern (NSC), Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian National (NYSE:CNI), Canadian Pacific (NYSE:CP), CSX (NASDAQ:CSX), Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP).
"The industry absolutely shares your commitment to establishing effective mechanisms to help prevent future accidents like the derailment in East Palestine," Jefferies wrote in the letter.
Earlier this week, Barclays sees upside in rail stocks despite downbeat investor sentiment.
Read more on Norfolk Southern's (NSC) derailment in Detroit, coming only about two weeks after the Ohio disaster.