Norfolk Southern railroad made headlines yet again Tuesday after one of its drivers was killed in Cleveland in a collision between a train and a garbage truck.
The accident occurred in the early morning hours Tuesday on the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works railroad track when a dump truck carrying limestone struck the left side of the train's first car.
The conductor, who was identified as Louis Shuster, suffered a fatal blow as the train passed a crossing at the facility, according to a company press release.
"Norfolk Southern has been in touch with the conductor’s family and will do all it can to support them and his colleagues. We are grieving the loss of a colleague today. Our hearts go out to his loved ones during this extremely difficult time," the company said.
This latest accident occurred just 24 hours after the rail organization announced a plan to "immediately" improve its safety features.
Norfolk Southern Incident Investigation
A few hours after the driver's death, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that it decided to open an investigation due to the "number and significance" of accidents in which the company has been involved.
"The NTSB will conduct an in-depth investigation into the safety practices and culture of the company. At the same time, the company should not wait to improve safety and the NTSB urges it to do so immediately," said.
The agency explained that in addition to the recent death of the Norfolk Southern worker, its investigation will include the accident that occurred at December 2021 in Pennsylvania for the death of a man that occurred when he was replacing track and a spike machine operator reversed direction and struck him.
NTSB to open a special investigation into Norfolk Southern Railway’s safety practices and culture: https://t.co/9xwaEtF1w3
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) March 7, 2023
Also added was the December 2022 incident in Alabama that also resulted in the death of a railroad trainee conductor when the lead locomotive of a freight train struck a protruding angle of a gondola car of another train of the same company.
The other two accidents that the agency included are two derailments: the Norfolk Southern freight train that released hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, and another that occurred in Springfield.
