National Steel Car to halt hundreds of its’ railcars

In wake of the recent train derailment in Ohio, investigators say Hamilton’s National Steel Car is being told to halt the use of hundreds of its’ railcars following the discovery of loose wheels from the freight.

Eight newly manufactured rail cars for U.S. carrier Norfolk Southern are sitting idle at a St. Catharines yard. According to Railway Trade Group, hundreds of similar freight belong to Hamilton’s National Steel Car and are under investigation following the latest derailment in Ohio.

The Association of American Railroads tells CHCH News, “two days ago now, Norfolk Southern identified loose wheels on a series of steel coil cars that presents an increased risk of an out of gage derailment.” and, “…have initially identified 675 cars manufactured by National Steel are subject to this advisory.”

The railroads association went on to say that wheelset defect is uncommon. While it’s unclear if it caused the derailment, loose wheels could potentially lead to one.

National Steel Car responded to CHCH News saying it provided records to the Association of American Railroads and Norfolk Southern, “with respect to three wheelpairs, on the two railcars of concern that were in the train consist that derailed.”

CHCH News asked National Steel Car to clarify the 625 railcars in question, and they’ve yet to respond back.

Norfolk Southern says there was “unusual wheel movement” in the latest crash in Springfield, Ohio last week.

National Steel Car tell CHCH News that to their knowledge, no conclusions have been reached as to any cause of the Norfolk Southern derailment on Mar. 5, and it is fully cooperating with the investigation.

[Commut]

National Steel has a poor workplace reputation. An investigation if there is one may be quite entertaining.
From an anonymous post by a welder (not I):

>They have at least 1000 welders working at any given time
>Big sign out front that says "HIRING 1000 WELDERS NOW"
>workers unionized after 6000 hours, nepotistic union ensures that 96% of workers are let go at around the 5000 hour mark (very few long-term employees)
>will hire anyone regardless of experience
>2 week training course and you can begin MIG welding train cars.
>they will even provide a weld helmet if you don't have one
>exclusively build norfolk southern rail cars for past 20 years
>someone has died there every year for past decade
>most recent fatality was crane operator dropping giant piece of steel plate on worker operating drill press
>no respectable welder will work there
>CWB certification not required, just in-house testing
>only immigrants and drug addicts are employed, odds are your foreman can't even speak english
>foreman was former steelcar employee, used to tell stories of workers snorting coke in the lunch room and getting into fist fights on shop floor
>over 60% of health and safety crew and inspection crew recently terminated (wonder why...?)
>work has started to shift to Trenergy in St. Catharines, if you go there you will see dozens of Norfolk Southern train cars out front, will post pic later if thread still active

Of course little will come of it since the rich own Canada too.

[jojogo]

Sounds like somebody's looking for a scapegoat.

[DougGrinbergs]

Maybe more manufacturing testing regulation?

[tommywolfe]

As a kid I grew up living next to an overpass for a railroad track and standing on the overpass watching trains I have seen hundreds that were so long that you couldnt see the beginning or end of them. 20 years worth of that. As an adult who lives near busy track, I have sat waiting for a trains to pass for a half an hour. One train going on way, it ends, another is on the other track going the opposite way, that one is done and another one is going by the other direction again. There have been trains parked in the city near where I right in the middle of town not roads, and our roads are spaced 1 mile have had to drive 5 miles to get around trains sometimes.

"hundreds of its railcars" means nothing, that is a train or two.