Controversial Cost-Cutting Measures To Blame For Ohio Derailment Disaster

Complex, tightly networked systems run very efficiently and can work with precision for long periods, until they don't. Money saved on the front end can be lost in one catastrophic accident. There is no better recent example than the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying copious amounts of toxic vinyl chloride and other toxic chemicals.

By now nearly everyone knows the tale of toxic fires and fears of explosion which led officials to drain undamaged tank cars carrying the same toxic chemicals which escaped the initial fires and then burn…