The Public Service Commission has its first certified rail inspector.
Karl Carlson was hired as part of the PSC’s pilot program for rail inspection. Commission chairman Julie Fedorchak says Carlson completed six months of training, and can now go out on his own. Fedorchak says she’s been talking with Carlson and the federal inspectors – and they’re finding ways to improve rail safety.
"We are finding a lot of ways to improve on poor maintenance practices and shortcuts the industry is taking," said Fedorchak. "In some cases, there are unsafe conditions."
Fedorchak says since Carlson was hired, he’s been to 90 different communities to inspect rail lines. She says Carlson has founr 411 defective conditions, and 13 violations.
"So that shows you we aren't out there playing 'gotcha,'" Fedorchak said. "If we were, there would be a higher number of violations. We're trying to work with the railroads, to find defective conditions and helping the industry turn it around and improve those conditions."
A second rail inspector is now going through the training – and should be certified sometime this spring.
