RAILROADS RESUME SHIPPING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

RAILROADS RESUME SHIPPING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS    The nation’s freight railroads will resume accepting all shipments under continued heightened security, said the Association of American Railroads.
   The railroads have been restricting the movement of sensitive types of cargo in order to assess the specific level of threat following military strikes in Afghanistan. The restrictions were made in consultation with the U.S. Department of Transportation and intelligence agencies.
   Railroad police forces will employ heightened patrols, inspections and surveillance, as deemed appropriate for the security of shipments and facilities. Certain trains will have operations modified commensurate with security requirements.
   The AAR will continue to operate a 24-hour command center linked to federal national security personnel and the railroads’ 24-hour operations centers.
   The industry will continue to restrict access to its information systems and the railroad industry’s 200,000 employees will maintain high awareness and vigilance.