The operators of a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous chemicals near East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month tried to stop the train after a wheel bearing overheated to a dangerous degree, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
But by the time an alarm rang to alert the crew of the danger, the bearing was already so compromised that it failed as the train was still coming to a stop, officials said — a revelation that raised questions about whether Norfolk Southern's safety sensors and procedures were sufficient to prevent a catastrophic failure.
