Railroad BNSF stresses safety but is still held back by longstanding industry issues, report finds

AP Business Writer

Freight railroad BNSF is generally striving to improve safety on a consistent basis but that message doesn’t always reach front-line workers who often don’t feel comfortable reporting safety concerns for fear of being disciplined. That’s according to an assessment released early Wednesday by the Federal Railroad Administration. The review of BNSF’s safety culture also shows that the company continues to be held back by some of the same issues that have been common across the industry for years. This report is the second one the agency has completed since the disastrous February 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as it works to review all the major railroads.