Opinion

Railroads aren't concerned with safety

Posted January 24, 2020 12:00 am

America's freight railroads would like to push aside safety, which they claim to value more than anything, by requiring only one person to operate a train that is likely two miles long and hauling materials that are: toxic, explosive, flammable, poisonous, etc.

Imagine only one person being responsible for moving 3.6 million gallons of ethanol through your neighborhood at a speed of 60 mph. Can it be done? Yes. Will it be safer if there are two brains and two sets of eyes, ears and arms working to control the train? You better believe it. That's twice as many people working safely.

The train crew has more incentive to work safe than any railroad executive, stockholder, or lawyer, because if they don't, they could die. What do the executive, stockholder, and lawyer risk losing? Only money. So, why do you think the railroads really want to to reduce train crews to only one person?

And, if you think this topic doesn't matter, imagine what will happen if 3.6 million gallons of ethanol is spilled in your neighborhood. What will you lose?

Darryl Kopman

Schaumburg

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