Rep. Ryan calls for stricter safety standards for CSX trains

In the wake of the train derailment in Ohio, Rep. Pat Ryan (D-19th District) and other local officials are now calling on CSX to adopt additional safety standards to prevent similar accidents in the Hudson Valley.
Ryan is also requesting a congressional hearing on rail safety.
He is calling for Congress to immediately enact these cautionary measures:
  • Increase the maximum fines the DOT can issue to rail companies for violating safety regulations
  • Expand rules governing high-hazardous shipments
  • Modernize braking regulations
  • Require owners of tank cars to adopt stronger cars sooner than 2029, as mandated in the 2015 FAST Act
The CSX River Subdivision runs 131 miles through the Hudson Valley, including the cities of Newburgh and Kingston and the town of Saugerties.
Ryan's office says any incident involving toxic cargo could be catastrophic given the line's direct proximity to the Hudson River and communities.
Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey is joining calls for change as well, saying a CSX derailment spilled 4,600 tons of diesel fuel in Newburgh just a few years. He's worried a future derailment could cause even more damage.