Norfolk Southern CEO Apologizes for Ohio Train Crash in Senate Hearing

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw apologized in a Senate hearing on Thursday for the harm caused by the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio — just hours after another Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama. 

Key Quotes: In his opening remarks to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Shaw said, “I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact this derailment has had on the residents of East Palestine and the surrounding communities.” He also said he was “determined to make this right,” and that “it is clear the safety mechanisms in place were not enough.” When asked about a bipartisan rail safety bill sponsored by Sens. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Shaw said he supported the “legislative intent to make rail safer” but did not endorse the bill. 

Derailment #3: Hours before Shaw’s testimony, another Norfolk Southern train derailed near Piedmont, Alabama. This was the second Norfolk Southern derailment after the Ohio crash, following a derailment in Springfield, Ohio on March 4. No injuries were reported in either case. Separately, a train run by freight company CSX derailed in Sandstone, West Virginia on Wednesday, leaking an unknown amount of diesel fuel and oil into the surrounding environment. Three crew members were treated for “non-life threatening injuries.”

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread and generally similar across the spectrum. Headlines generally focused on expectations before the hearing, quotes during the hearing, or the coinciding derailment.