CSX is temporarily furloughing approximately 1,000 workers and eliminating roughly 200 additional positions, including jobs associated with railroad maintenance and inspection. The company says the furloughs reflect seasonal maintenance needs, but union leaders worry some workers will never return. At the same time, a recent federal waiver allows railroads to increase the use of automated inspections.
The changes are raising questions about whether automated technology will permanently replace the safety inspectors who have historically performed these vital safety jobs—and if so, are they a viable replacement for their human counterparts?. Former CSX track inspector and union leader Brian Thompson warns that automated systems can miss problems that workers routinely discover in person—and that could be catastrophic:
“People need to understand that these trains haul very dangerous chemicals… My fear is that these defects are going to go unknown and a train is going to derail and cause massive damage to cities, people, first responders, and everybody involved—similar to what happened in East Palestine, Ohio.”
CSX says its safety commitments remain unchanged, and federal regulators say the company is complying with its inspection waiver. Lyndsay Keith speaks with Thompson and West Virginia reporter Joe Cadotte about what these changes mean for railroad workers, their communities and the future of rail safety.
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