What we should learn from East Palestine

To the Editor:

The railroad industry “Coalmine Canary” died on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio. This wakeup call provides a longoverdue window into how both the railroad industry and the government regulatory system operate, what is wrong with them, and identifies one potential response. It also shows how and why predatory corporate capitalism is dysfunctional and damaging to our society.

In 1933, Joseph Eastman, federal coordinator of transportation, identified the problem of corporate regulation when he said, “Public regulation of a privately owned and operated industry, reaching deeply into such matters as rates, service … mergers and consolidations, is a hybrid arrangement.” Corporate capitalism is about profit. Regulation is about protecting the public. Our economic and regulatory system permits the cost-cutting measures that led to the East Palestine derailment and release of toxic chemicals. As Eastman noted, “When an industry becomes so public in character that such intimate regulation of its affairs becomes necessary … the government should assume complete responsibility, financial and otherwise.”

A further concern is that when Amtrak was created in 1971, freight companies were made responsible for track maintenance. Since the cost of derailed trains is less than properly maintaining the tracks, freight companies have no incentive to do so. This places Amtrak passengers, who use the same tracks, at greater risk. And because Amtrak is a government entity, when accidents occur, Amtrak (and therefore we the taxpayers) is liable for passenger injuries.

Joseph Eastman’s conclusion is more relevant today than when he made it in 1933, “Theoretically and logically public ownership and operation (of railroads) meets the known ills of the present situation better than any other remedy.”

Phil Nichols

Sonora