US Rep. calls for tighter rules for train industry

PAULSBORO, N.J. (AP) — A congressman from New Jersey says the nation’s rail industry should be subject to tighter regulation after a derailment caused a hazardous chemical to be released in his district last week.

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews is a Democrat whose district includes Paulsboro, the Philadelphia suburb where the leak last week has caused hundreds of people to be evacuated from their homes.

He says it’s time to end what he calls a “culture of self-regulation” for the industry.

Under federal regulations, rail companies do many of their own bridge inspections and accident reports.

A spokeswoman for the rail industry says the current system works well and that trains are generally a safe way to transport hazardous chemicals.