Some rail workers are questioning if they’re safe on the job after a Norfolk Southern train engineer was killed in a train yard in Alabama and as the anniversary of the East Palestine train derailment approaches.

According to a press release from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, 55-year-old Chris Wilson, was killed Wednesday, Jan. 31 while working in an Alabama train yard. Wilson was a member of BLET and a Norfolk Southern employee for 30 years. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident. 

"This tragic loss underscores the safety risks present in railroading, even in the controlled environment of a railyard," said BLET National President Eddie Hall. "This week, marks one year since Norfolk Southern's derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. I hope as we reflect on that disaster and on the need to continually improve rail safety that we also pause to remember Brother Wilson and the family he leaves behind."

21 News spoke to three different unions in the rail industry about safety risks on the job. Several workers feel there's been no change since the East Palestine derailment. 

“We want to go home every night to our families,” John Feltz, the Railroad Director for the Transport Workers Union of America said. “… the best shape that we came in is the same way we want to go home.”

“That can happen anywhere. It doesn’t have to be a small village, it could be a major urban area, it could be anywhere in this country,” Jared Cassity the Alternate National Legislative Director & Chief of Safety for the SMART Union said. 

Their top concerns were training, hours and number of workers. 

Cassity wants to see more training for rail workers. He said for long standing employees they only get training once every three years, and those sessions are only two to three hours.

“There's really no determination to make sure that you’re understanding or comprehending, one, what's happening, but two, that you understand the rules and the way that they work, and three, that you’re able to do so in a safe manner,” Cassity said. 

Matthew Weaver, a member of the Railroad Workers Union and the Brotherhood of Maintenance Way Employees, feels train companies don’t hire enough employees. He said there used to be up to seven workers on a site and now most of the time there's just one. 

“Lack of manpower is serving the shareholders, serving the profit margins and safety is right out the window,” Weaver said. “It all depends on productivity and it's a dangerous situation out there without having somebody's eyes on you, a partner to help you work through the job.”

And because there's only a few workers, others feel train companies are forcing workers to do too much overtime. 

“If I’m fatigued and your facilities aren’t there, you’re walking around you’re tired, you’re not as alert as you would be if you had your proper rest,” Feltz said. “Any place you go on the rail yard, death is our biggest fear.”

All three rail industry workers that spoke to 21 News said to improve the safety at their jobs the most, they want lawmakers to pass the Rail Safety Act that was created by Ohio U.S. Senators JD Vance and Sherrod Brown. 

“What we’re seeing, because of the lack of change, the trajectory that we are on … if something serious doesn’t happen to improve it, like the legislation the railway Safety Act, it’s going to happen again,” Cassity said about the East Palestine train derailment.