NTSB publishes illustrated digest of 2023 Ohio train derailment and hazmat release

Washington — Photos, graphics and statistics are included in an illustrated digest, recently released by the National Transportation Safety Board, detailing the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, OH.

Published Sept. 30, the nine-page document is a companion to the agency’s 200-plus page final report, released in June.

The digest features an incident overview and details the cause of the derailment. NTSB determined that a defective wheel bearing on one of the train’s rail cars failed and overheated, causing a subsequent hazardous material release. The 38 rail cars that derailed burned for more than two days, forcing thousands of nearby residents to evacuate.

Also included are two timelines: one on the derailment and the first 21 hours afterward, and another on how Norfolk Southern (the train’s owner) and its contractors decided to conduct a vent and burn to prevent an explosion.

The digest covers additional safety issues, including problems with wayside detectors, emergency response, tank car performance, and the need for inward- and outward-facing recorders.