More CSX Track Defects

Rochester’s biggest railroad, CSX, maintains its tracks in such terrible condition that virtually any time there is an inspection, defects and “serious violation(s) of safety standards” are found. An inspection this week found more violations.



Speaking as someone who drives over CSX railroad crossings almost every day, I am certainly un-nerved by this. Once again, I call upon CSX to live up to their responsibilities as corporate citizens, and I call upon the Federal Railroad Administration to issue severe fines.



I expect neither of those things to happen.

CSX Cited for 199 Violations

In 2004, a CSX freight train slammed into a car at Winton Road in Rochester, killing the two occupants of the car. The safety gates had malfunctioned several times that winter and on this day, they did not drop to stop traffic. In addition, the train’s engineer was either unaware of, or didn’t heed, and order by CSX to come to a stop at that intersection.

I drive by that intersection every day. There is still a cross and flowers to commemorate the accident. Before that day, and since, municipalities throughout New York State (and throughout the country) have struggled with how to deal with the problems caused by the lack of safety of CSX (and other railroad’s) operations. And its not just crashes with vehicles that are a concern — trains can derail causing damage to nearby property and lives; and those derailed trains may be carrying toxic chemicals.

How could an engineer not know, or not heed, an order to stop at a particular intersection? Perhaps because typical of CSX winter operations, there are many “slow orders” along a route. This thread at railroad.net indicates that right now, there are 47 “slow orders” in 180 miles on the CSX route between Cleveland and Buffalo. Additional “slow orders” exist through Rochester. Trains are ordered to slow over certain stretches of track because of poor track conditions as a safety precaution. How likely is it that some engineer misses one of those 47 orders?

Today we learn that CSX has been cited for 199 serious violations, 13 of them in New York. CSX continues to have a poor reputation for dealing with safety issues and has had a string of serious accidents recently, even though they have been hit with many fines and citations over the years.

What can be done? How can CSX be convinced that their poor safety record is not acceptable, and that the fines shouldn’t be viewed by CSX as merely a cost of doing business. Normally, I’m not a big fan of government intervention, but when a company and industry consistently acts in its own best interest, to the detriment of the welfare of the surrounding populace, then I feel that strong government regulation is appropriate. Will that happen? Not a chance. Not with the Bush administration still in charge, there will never be a policy enacted that favors the public interest over corporate interests.

Looks like we are stuck with CSX and their very poor safety record.