How a Derailed Train Galvanized an Ohio Town, and Congress

On Feb. 3, a nearly two-mile long freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, a town of about 4,700 people.

The railroad company and local officials decided to do a chemical burn to neutralize the cargo, but as a giant plume of black smoke settled over the town, residents’ anger about the handling of the accident has intensified.

Guest: Emily Cochrane, a national correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• A bipartisan group of lawmakers has proposed that the Transportation Department impose stricter rules for freight rail.
• The derailment of a second train in Ohio — despite assurances that no hazardous materials had leaked — sharpened the questions about rail safety.

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