Massive Ohio Train Derailment Raises Concerns over Rail Safety: Urgent Advisory Issued on Hot Box Detectors

In response to the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) train in East Palestine, Ohio, the Federal Railroad Administration has released a safety advisory calling on railroads to review their policies and practices for using and maintaining hot bearing wayside detectors, also known as hot box detectors. These detectors are used to measure the temperature of wheel bearings on passing trains. Federal investigators are examining whether an overheated bearing was a contributing factor in the derailment.

Early assessment of recent train derailments suggests that mechanical failure, notably burnt journal bearings, was the cause or contributing factor to the events, according to the FRA's safety advisory. As a result, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a Safety Advisory with suggestions for improving the safety of railroad operations and the mechanical reliability of rolling stock.

The following is what railroads are asked to do in response to a safety recommendation that was submitted to the Federal Register on Tuesday: 

• Use HBD data to evaluate the thresholds for inspections

• As part of the inspection process, factor in real-time trend analyses of HBD data

• Ensure that those who calibrate, inspect and maintain HBDs are properly trained and qualified

• Use HBD alerts when inspecting rolling stock

• Seek to improve the safety culture of the organization, particularly when it comes to operational decisions based on HBD data

Since 2021, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has identified burnt journal bearings as a possible cause of five derailments, three involving Norfolk Southern (NS) and two involving Kansas City Southern. Hot box detectors (HBDs) detected a suspect bearing in each of these incidents, but the crew was unable to prevent the derailment due to a lack of time or orders to continue the journey.

According to the FRA, these ongoing investigations highlight the importance of establishing appropriate standards, processes, and procedures governing the use of HBDs and other detectors, such as wheel impact load detectors, to detect defects in rail equipment and infrastructure. The FRA issued a safety advisory in 2015 recommending that these detectors be installed and used along routes with high-hazard flammable trains or high-hazard flammable unit trains.