DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – A crumbling retaining wall in Monroe near a railroad track began catching public attention, but has had slow response from railroad officials.
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The wall which separates a Monroe roadway from the Norfolk Southern Railway tracks partially collapsed at the end of June. Following Monroe Police Officers contacting the company the day it collapsed, authorities were notified that despite a partial lane closure, the city had been advised by a Norfolk Southern maintenance crew that the area was safe for continued service.
Representative William Bruck (R-Erie) reached out to Norfolk as well to try and expedite the response time.
“The railroad’s retaining wall is crumbling apart, sending large hunks of concrete into a city street when trains roll through – that’s a safety hazard for people in Monroe who travel this street every day,” Bruck said in a statement. “I work closely with city leaders and none of us were satisfied by Norfolk Southern’s initial response, so I hopped on it to see what I could do at the state level.”
Norfolk Southern has had several derailments within the past year including one in Palestine, Ohio. Since the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board announced earlier this spring that it would be opening an investigation into the company and its safety culture.
“Given the number and significance of recent Norfolk Southern accidents, the NTSB also urges the company to take immediate action today to review and assess its safety practices, with the input of employees and others, and implement necessary changes to improve safety,” the NTSB announced previously.
Ahead of the February derailments, Norfolk Southern Corporation, despite experiencing higher operating costs for a myriad of reasons, still reported positive revenue in the fourth quarter.
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