In the aftermath of that disastrous train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio lawmakers in Nebraska are once again poised to examine the pros and cons of one of the rail industry’s most-pressing manpower issues.

A public hearing on crew size hits the halls of the Nebraska State Capitol next week.

Three weeks after that Norfolk Southern freight train derailed leaving a massive clean-up and residents worried about rail cars carrying toxic gases polluting their air and drinking water, 30 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed in Gothenburg, Nebraska.

Andrew Foust, the head of one of the state’s largest rail unions (SMART-TD Nebraska) telling NCN, the Ohio catastrophe, “Could have easily happened in Gothenburg, thankfully the over 3 mile long train was hauling coal. Thousands of gallons of hazardous materials go through Nebraska towns each day.”  

Enter the battle between Big Rail and the unions over the need for train crews with a mandated minimum of 2-persons on board.

The Ohio train had three, 2 regulars and one trainee, all backed by federal investigators. “We have no evidence that the crew did anything wrong," says Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Board which is investigating the crash.

As we’ve reported extensively the crew size issue, has hit Nebraska lawmakers time and time again.

[View our full video report above]

The crew size hearing is scheduled for 1:30 Monday afternoon before the Legislature's Transportation Committee.