Norfolk Southern, railroads to join close-call reporting system, WSJ reports

Norfolk Southern (NSC) and several of its rivals have agreed to join a federal system that allows employees to report close calls, a program the biggest freight railroads have previously refused to join, Esther Fung of The Wall Street Journal reports. On Monday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg asked CEOs from seven Class 1 railroad, including Union Pacific (UNP), Norfolk Southern, BNSF Railway, CSX Corp. (CSX), Canadian Pacific (CP), Canadian National Railway (CNI), and Kansas City Southern, to join the Federal Railroad Administration’s close call reporting system. According to safety regulators and investigators, a system where workers can anonymously file reports of minor incidents and close calls has greatly benefited the aviation industry. Currently, only 22 railroads out of over 60 are part of the voluntary program, with most instead opting to use their own internal close-call programs. Reference Link