After Ohio Derailments, Congressman Pat Ryan Calls for Increased CXS Safety in Hudson Valley

Unfortunately, there has been another train derailment over the weekend in Ohio. Fortunately this time there was much less damage. The derailment was nothing like what happened in East Palestine last month.

Talk of freight trains and what needs to be done to keep not only the train employees safe but also the communities they travel through is a hot topic right now. This isn't just something that worries other places in the United States, we have our own train line to be concerned about here in the Hudson Valley, the CSX River Subdivision.

Hudson Valley Congressman Pat Ryan Demands CSX to Operate Safely in New York

I happened to be one of the thousands of Ulster county residents that are well aware that CSX trains travel through our Hudson Valley towns and past our homes every day. It is not just Ulster County that has these CSX lines. Trains leave New Jersey and travel up the west side of the Hudson River multiple times a day. Most of them travel all the way to Selkirk, New York passing through hundreds of communities in the process.

Congressman Pat Ryan Posted this information on his Facebook Page last Thursday (March 2, 2023):

This notice along with a press release was issued last week in order to make people aware of what Congressman Ryan is doing in Washington in regard to train safety in New York and the Hudson Valley.

In a press release dated March 1, 2023, Congressman Ryan made this statement,

“Just like Norfolk Southern, CSX and other big rail corporations spent millions lobbying the last President to deregulate the railways, resulting in the administration withdrawing a proposal to require faster brakes on trains carrying highly flammable materials and ending regular rail safety audits of railroads. The American people are now paying the price for this corporate greed. I’m calling on CSX to immediately and proactively adopt common-sense safety standards, and demanding that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hold a hearing so that we can protect families in the Hudson Valley and across the United States.” (Press Release Congressman Pat Ryan)

 

Newburgh's Diesel Fuel Spill

In Congressman Ryan's press release, there is mention of the January 2017 derailment in Newburgh which spilled 4600 tons of diesel fuel and closed roads until the cleanup was complete.

Along with the press release, Congressman Ryan also sent a letter to CSX President and CEO Joseph Hinrichs asking him to have CSX take urgent action to address concerns that the Department of Transportation has in order to make freight trains safer.

See Also: Car Struck by Train in Kingston New York

Aside from the most recent safety issues the CSX line has had other problems in Hudson Valley communities. Over the past few years, there have been numerous people and cars hit by trains on this freight line. Communities have raised concerns about the noise from the horns blowing day and night. There have also been investigations by municipalities into why trains are stopped blocking roadways for prolonged periods of time.

See Also: Train Stuck on Track for Hours Blocks School Buses

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It is my understanding that most of the issues stated above have been addressed between the towns that have filed complaints and CSX. I also know that not all of them have been completely resolved. The matters that Congressman Ryan is asking to be addressed will hopefully lead to these other complaints being resolved as well.

See Also: CSX Repairs Three Crossings in 2019 Closing Hudson Valley Roads

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