Rail companies haven’t been scrutinized for scores of alleged worker injuries and at least two deaths.

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The Big Story
Wed. Mar 13, 2024

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What’s Missing From Railroad Safety Data? Dead Workers and Severed Limbs. <[link removed]> Thanks to government loopholes, rail companies haven’t been scrutinized by the Federal Railroad Administration for scores of alleged worker injuries and at least two deaths. by Topher Sanders, Dan Schwartz, Danelle Morton and Gabriel Sandoval

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Railroad Safety in America

“It Looks Like the Railroad Is Asking for You to Say Thank You” <[link removed]> After brakeman Chris Cole lost both his legs on the job, railroad officials removed evidence before state regulators could see it, omitted key facts in reports and suspended him from a job he could never return to. by Jessica Lussenhop and Topher Sanders <[link removed]>

When Railroad Workers Get Hurt on the Job, Some Supervisors Go to Extremes to Keep It Quiet <[link removed]> Railroad officials have lied, spied and bribed to keep workers’ injuries off the books. “Don’t put your job on the line for another employee.” by Topher Sanders, Dan Schwartz, Danelle Morton, Gabriel Sandoval and Jessica Lussenhop <[link removed]>

Union Pacific Fired Him Rather Than Heed His Warnings of Dangerous Rail Conditions <[link removed]> Time and again, Johnny Taylor’s duty to keep the rails safe from disaster conflicted with his employer’s desire to keep its trains running as fast and as frequently as possible, putting his career and family in peril. by Danelle Morton and Topher Sanders, with additional reporting by Jessica Lussenhop <[link removed]>

“Do Your Job.” How the Railroad Industry Intimidates Employees Into Putting Speed Before Safety <[link removed]> Railroad companies have penalized workers for taking the time to make needed repairs and created a culture in which supervisors threaten and fire the very people hired to keep trains running safely. Regulators say they can’t stop this intimidation. by Topher Sanders, Jessica Lussenhop, Dan Schwartz, Danelle Morton and Gabriel Sandoval <[link removed]>

As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School <[link removed]> When crossings are blocked for hours, kids risk their lives to get to school by crawling through trains that could start at any moment. Ambulances and fire trucks can’t get through. The problem has existed for decades. But it’s getting worse. by Topher Sanders and Dan Schwartz, ProPublica, and Joce Sterman, Gray Television/InvestigateTV; Video by Scotty Smith, Gray Television/InvestigateTV; Photography by Jamie Kelter Davis for ProPublica <[link removed]>

The True Dangers of Long Trains <[link removed]> Trains are getting longer. Railroads are getting richer. But these “monster trains” are jumping off of tracks across America and regulators are doing little to curb the risk. by Dan Schwartz and Topher Sanders, with additional reporting by Gabriel Sandoval and Danelle Morton, graphics by Haisam Hussein <[link removed]>

More From Our Newsroom

New York Trusted This Company to Care for the Sick and Elderly. Instead, It Left People Confused and Alone. <[link removed]> Unchanged diapers. Fees collected for care never given. New York Guardianship Services is often tasked with caring for the "unbefriended," but records show more than a dozen cases where it failed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. by Jake Pearson, illustrations by Dominic Bodden, special to ProPublica <[link removed]>

Walmart Bought a Finance App and Reduced Fraud Protections. Guess What Happened Next? <[link removed]> The retail giant has long sought to become a financial powerhouse. But after it acquired a neobank called One in 2022, fraud complaints multiplied and customer reviews cratered. by Craig Silverman and Peter Elkind <[link removed]>

At Seattle’s Boeing Field, Real-Time Video Offers a Rare Glimpse of America’s Troubled Deportation Flights <[link removed]> Key details about what happens inside ICE Air would still be hidden if not for a group of Washington activists and researchers, who are now using a live video feed from the tarmac to document the flights. by McKenzie Funk <[link removed]>

Bedbugs, Rats and No Heat: How One Woman Endured a Decade of Neglect in New York’s Guardianship System <[link removed]> Judith Zbiegniewicz lived in squalor, yet every month, her legally appointed guardian was paid $450 from her bank account. She is one of the thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers left stranded by a system meant to protect them. by Jake Pearson, illustrations by Dominic Bodden, special to ProPublica <[link removed]>

Massachusetts’ Highly Touted Push to “Significantly Reduce” Affordable Housing Vacancies Barely Made a Dent <[link removed]> After a 2023 WBUR and ProPublica investigation found that 2,300 state-funded apartments were sitting empty, the state promised action within 90 days. But it failed to fix key problems, leaving many families still waiting for a home. by Todd Wallack, WBUR <[link removed]>

Liberty University Hit With Record Fines for Failing to Handle Complaints of Sexual Assault, Other Crimes <[link removed]> Spurred by a ProPublica investigation, the federal Department of Education found the evangelical school in Virginia had discouraged students from reporting rape and other crimes. by Eric Umansky <[link removed]>

A Utah Cleft Palate Team Says Its Approach Is Innovative. Others See a Pattern of Unnecessary Surgeries on Children. <[link removed]> At Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah, pediatric surgeons are taking controversial risks with how they care for kids with cleft lip and palate. Outside doctors found that some parents weren’t told their child’s care was different from the norm. by Megan Rose <[link removed]>

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