Wheel Bearing Had A ‘Critical’ Safety Issue Moments Before East Palestine Derailment, Investigators Say

The wheel bearing at the center of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio was more than 250 degrees hotter than the ambient air temperature when the train went off the tracks, a “critical” safety defect by Norfolk Southern’s own safety criteria, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board which is investigating the crash.

The report, which was released on Thursday morning ahead of an NTSB press conference and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeig’s visit to East Palestine, is the most complete picture of the derailment to date. The NTSB will not officially name a probable cause for the derailment until the investigation is complete, but the report clearly identifies the wheel bearing as the focus of its investigative attention.

Before 32N derailed—which workers had nicknamed “32 Nasty” due to its notoriously difficult load distribution—it passed three hot bearing detectors, which are trackside monitors that alert the crew to irregular temperature readings along the train’s axles which could signal a mechanical malfunction. According to the report, Norfolk Southern’s own standards say a temperature difference between the bearing and the air temperature of 170 to 200 degrees is a “non-critical” warning to stop and inspect the car. Greater than 200 degrees is a “critical” warning to stop and separate the car from the rest of the train. According to the NTSB, two hot box detector readings taken in the 30 miles before East Palestine were within the normal range, although the bearing had heated up by 65 degrees in the 10 miles from one detector to the next.

But when 32N passed the third detector, just before reaching East Palestine, the crew received a critical warning because the temperature reading was 253 degrees above the ambient temperature. According to the report, “the train engineer increased the dynamic brake application to further slow and stop the train. During this deceleration, an automatic emergency brake application initiated, and train 32N came to a stop.” It was at this time the crew “observed fire and smoke” and notified the dispatcher of a “possible derailment.” 

The NTSB says it will be focusing its future investigative activity on the wheels and bearings, Norfolk Southern's use of hot box detectors, and its railcar inspection practices, among other factors. The actions of the crew are not mentioned as a subject of further investigation.

Motherboard has previously reported that freight rail workers have been sounding the alarm that a catastrophic derailment is increasingly likely because of poor maintenance practices and declining safety cultures within the freight rail industry as the companies squeeze the railroads for higher profit margins. In 2022, Norfolk Southern reported record profits from railroad operations of $4.8 billion.