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WaPo: No Evidence Trump Was Responsible For Ohio Derailment
Story by Brianna Lyman • Feb 27, 2023
“We decided to examine every possible regulatory change made under Trump that could be related to the accident and assess whether it could have made an impact,” Kessler wrote. “From our analysis, none of the regulatory changes made during the Trump administration at this point can be cited as contributing to the accident.”
Kessler presented and then debunked several possible ways Trump could have helped cause the derailment. When it came to electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes, Kessler noted although the Trump administration did get rid of the rule, the Biden administration made no effort to reinstate it. Kessler also argued that ECP brakes would not have helped, noting that by the time the train’s crew activated its emergency braking system, the train had already derailed.
National Transportation Safety Board Chair
Jennifer Homendy also dismissed allegations that Trump was responsible, explaining on both CNN and Twitter that the electronically controlled pneumatic brakes would not have prevented the derailment.
Kessler went on to debunk a claim that a Trump rule loosening brake safety inspection requirements contributed to the accident, writing that there “is no determination yet that the braking system played a role in the accident.”
When it came to the amount of crew present, the Trump administration withdrew a proposal in 2019 that required two crew members on duty at all times. As Kessler noted, the train had two crew members as well as a trainee.