East Palestine Documentary Emphasizes Fight for Rail Safety

More than two years after the Norfolk Southern derailment turned the quiet town of East Palestine, Ohio into a national symbol of environmental disaster and railroad regulatory failure, a new short film by independent documentarian John Russell and More Perfect Union offers a raw, unfiltered look at the corporate choices that made this catastrophe possible and the human impact of those decisions. 

Watch the film here: We Went Back to East Palestine: It’s Worse Than You Thought 

The accident was the result of decisions made at the top

The film shows what railroaders and community members have known from day one: this disaster wasn’t caused by a single bad wheel bearing. East Palestine was poisoned by railroad executives who cut corners for profit. Russell’s lens reveals a system that treats frontline railroaders like expendable parts and treats the communities we roll through as acceptable collateral damage or merely a tax write-off.  

It’s about how, after the subject matter experts (you) did their jobs, raised red flags, and reported risks, railroad executives still made the call to detonate five tank cars of toxic vinyl chloride anyway. They chose to sacrifice someone else’s breathable air to speed up the process of getting their trains running again. 

As the NTSB confirmed in its 2024 final report, the “vent and burn” was not necessary. It was a choice. Railroad executives made that choice without even listening to employees from the company who produced the chemicals in question. As the Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) playbook says on page one, they did what was needed to expedite hauling freight and absolutely nothing else mattered. 

Railroaders: the first line of defense and the first ones being cut out of the process 

SMART-TD members live and work in communities like East Palestine. We’re often the first to recognize mechanical problems before they escalate. But doing the right thing costs money, so year after year rail carriers push for smaller crews, longer trains, and fewer inspections, while using their financial clout to water down regulations that give workers more say in stopping unsafe operations. 

We know what’s at stake. When safety is compromised, we’re not the only ones who pay the price. It’s our neighbors, our kids’ schools, and our communities who pay the price instead of the railroads. 

Remember the Lessons of East Palestine

This is why SMART-TD members and our National Safety and Legislative Office have refused to let the story of East Palestine fade into the background. 

In the aftermath of the derailment and with growing public outrage, several key pieces of legislation have been introduced in Congress, including the Railway Safety Act of 2024. 

That bill would: 

• Mandate two-person crews (2-PC) 

• Establish standards for hot bearing detectors 

• Reclassify hazardous trains with tougher requirements 

• Rein in corporate cost-cutting that undermines inspections and maintenance 

National Safety & Legislative Director Jared Cassity has been a constant presence in D.C. and at the scene in East Palestine. He represented SMART-TD members at NTSB hearings in East Palestine, where he questioned Norfolk Southern and AAR officials about their decisions and pressed for accountability. He has also testified before Congress, standing up for common-sense safety rules that reflect what our members already know: without a strong safety culture, another East Palestine is inevitable. 

But passing this bill and other legislation SMART-TD has championed has not been easy. Rail carriers have poured money ($17 million by John Russell’s account) into lobbying against these reforms. They claim to care about safety, while laying off mechanical workers, slashing inspection times, denying the need for two-person crews on multi-mile-long freight trains, and seeking federal waivers to reduce track inspections by 75%. 

How You Can Help 

This film is more than a story. It’s a clear warning. John Russell shows the world what happens when those of us with real experience are pushed out of safety decisions. It’s a reminder that our jobs are not just about moving freight, they’re about protecting the public from dangerous policies made in boardrooms instead of the real world. 

Here’s how you can act: 

• Watch and share the video with your coworkers and community 

• Contact your lawmakers about supporting the Railway Safety Act and other pending legislation 

• Stay involved with your State Legislative Boards to keep rail safety on the agenda at every level and support SMART-TD’s Political Action Committee (PAC) 

The railroads lit the fuse. John Russell and SMART-TD members won’t let them walk away from the fire. 

East Palestine should have been a turning point. That’s still possible, but only if we keep up the pressure. Only if SMART-TD members continue to speak out, organize, and demand the tools, training, and staffing we need to keep ourselves and the public safe.  

SMART-TD, our National Safety and Legislative Department, and our members all owe a debt of gratitude to John Russell and those like him, pushing to give a voice to our reality. In this moment, it is important that we support those who support us. Please do your part to amplify brother Russell’s important documentary to everyone in your circle. 

Watch the film. Stay informed. And don’t let the industry rewrite the narrative.