Ohio train derailment and Pete Buttigieg.

[Deminpenn]

23. Not sure everyone understands that not all cars

are owned by the RRs, in this case NS. For privately owned cars, they have to meet all the safety and operating requirements and pass an inspection before they can be part of a freight or passenger train. That is a per a friend who has owned a private RR car, used for passenger excurations, for many years. From my own experience at DoD with aircraft parts, especially parts that constantly rotate, is that they can fail without warning or showing any signs of potential failure like cracks. Not saying that's what happened, but things do happen that are beyond anyone's control or ability to anticipate.

NS already knows an axle on one of the cars failed as the basic cause of the accident. Jmo, but with the video, data recorders, track sensors and cars all available to be inspected and analyzed, NTSB will likely be able to figure out all the details fairly quickly.

On a local note, residents in the affected area voted overwhelming (70%) for Trump in 2020 and Vance and DeWine in 2022. They don't like government or much believe in regulation, until, like in this case, it affects them personally. That tempers my sympathy for them.