No one was hurt earlier this year when 35 cars of a Union Pacific freight train derailed in western Nebraska, but emergency experts were quick to note, “The last car that was upright had hazardous materials in it. Folks were very lucky,” said Kimball County Emergency Manager Ronald Leal.  

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October 2023/Dan Osborn, Senate Candidate (I): “I’m running because I know what’s broken can be fixed.”

Independent Senate hopeful Dan Osborn says the accident,” Occurred very close to fertilizer and anhydrous ammonia tanks.”

Osborn calling for passage of the Railway Safety Act which calls for tighter regulations of trains carrying hazardous materials.

Like last year’s catastrophe in East Palestine, Ohio.

Misti Allison testified in the Senate for those tougher rules.

Misti Allison, East Palestine, Ohio: “My 7-year-old has asked me if he is going to die from living in his own home.”

The legislation is stalled, and Osborn is targeting his Senate rival, incumbent Republican Deb Fischer, for some of the blame.

According to Osborn voters know they “Can't count on Fischer to fight for our towns and workers since railroad barons are among her largest campaign contributors.”

A News Channel Nebraska examination finds Fischer with tens of thousands of campaign dollars from Big Rail. According to Open Secrets, Burlington Northern has contributed $25,000, Union Pacific $148,000.

NCN has contacted Fischer’s campaign for comment, but we’ve heard nothing.

At the same time Fischer has opened up her own rail concerns, not aimed not at Burlington Northern or UP, but Amtrak management.

A New York Times report has found that. “Most of the top leaders received bonuses above $200,000 in the last fiscal year as Amtrak worked to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.”

That led Fischer to introduce the Amtrak Transparency Act which she says will “pull back the curtain” on Amtrak.

Fischer and Osborn taking two different tracks when it comes to the nation’s railroads.