WASHINGTON (Sept. 18, 2026) — National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy and Board Member Tom Chapman will hold a press briefing Sept. 21 at Chicago Union Station to highlight actions needed to improve safety across the U.S. rail system.
Homendy will outline the agency's rail safety priorities and discuss steps to reduce preventable injuries and fatalities among the nation's rail workers. Her remarks will emphasize the importance of protecting railroad employees while enhancing safety for passengers, communities, and the traveling public.
Last year alone, 3,056 rail workers were injured on the job. Strengthening worker protections is critical to building a safer, more reliable, and more resilient rail transportation system.
WHAT: NTSB Rail Safety Press Conference
WHO: NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy and Board Member Tom Chapman
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, at 10 a.m. CDT
WHERE: Chicago Union Station (Jackson Boulevard balcony entrance), 500 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60606
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Chairwoman Homendy will be available for one-on-one interviews with credentialed media immediately following the press conference.
The event will be held in Chicago, the nation’s busiest rail hub and a vital link in the U.S. rail network. Chicago is the only city where all six Class I freight railroads converge and serves as the primary connection between eastern and western rail operations. The briefing will take place at Chicago Union Station, the busiest rail terminal outside the Northeast Corridor, serving more than 3 million Amtrak passengers and 35 million Metra riders annually.
Credentialed media planning to attend should RSVP to [email protected].
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
