Train derailment reflects structural problems in the US rail sector.
For the US, railroads are a money-making tool rather than an important infrastructure.
China Radio International Earlier this month, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, USA. The potential pollution caused by the incident continues to worry Americans. But in recent days, similar accidents have occurred in Texas and South Carolina. American citizens need to question the reasons for the frequent railroad accidents in the country.
According to a Newsweek report, in less than two months, there have already been more than 10 train derailments in the US, and annually the number is 1.700. And statistics from the US Department of Transportation show that 4,5 million tons of toxic chemicals are transported by rail. This means that train accidents are very dangerous.
If we analyze it more deeply, it's not difficult to consider that the disasters on American railroads are a result of the companies' pursuit of maximum profit. For them, railroads are a tool for making money rather than an important infrastructure.
For example, in recent years, Norfolk Southern, the owner of the train that derailed in Ohio, has been decreasing its investments in safety and train maintenance, increasing train frequency, and reducing staff. As a result, the company's profit reached US$12,7 billion in 2022, growing 14% compared to the previous year.
However, in this pursuit of maximum profit, the Ohio disaster was not accidental, but inevitable. The accident revealed the structural problems of the US railroad development model. Furthermore, it also highlighted, on a macro level, the shortcomings of neoliberalism that has guided the development of the Western world since the Cold War. This concept emphasizes economic efficiency but disregards the necessary management and costs.
"It's unbelievable." "Is this our country?" "Why has our country become like this?" The comments from American internet users are reflections. On the wrong path for decades, the US already has many systemic risks and needs structural reforms to improve its infrastructure.
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