Opinion: When will Class I’s fulfill their C3RS commitment?

More than seven months after Norfolk Southern’s massive chemical spill and fire in East Palestine, Ohio, the rail industry continues to renege on its promise to improve safety by joining the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). The BLET has publicly called out the Class I railroads for their apparent preference to discipline workers rather than take their confidential input regarding safety improvements. Now, a retired BLET Vice President has added his voice to the mix, urging the industry to keep its word.
 
With almost 50 years of experience in the rail industry as a locomotive engineer, union officer, and safety advocate, former BLET Vice President Bill Keppen is an authority on safety. He was an architect of early C3RS programs and an early participant in the RSAC process. In a recent opinion column that appeared on industry publication Railway Age’s website, Brother Keppen wrote:
 
“Are Class I railroads, through the AAR, raising a plausible defense for not participating in close call reporting? Or is it an implausible defense? Only time will tell… After the East Palestine derailment, all the Class I’s committed to participate in the current, NASA-run close call reporting program. The U.S. Department of Transportation, its employees and the American public are anxiously awaiting fulfillment of that commitment.”
 
In his message, Brother Keppen wrote that he has limited interest in commenting on railroad industry matters following his retirement, but that he was compelled to respond to an August 24 letter from the Association of American Railroads explaining their reasons for not joining C3RS because the letter was so off-base and out of touch with reality.
 
Read Brother Keppen’s column in full here.