The $22 million settlement resolving all of East Palestine, Ohio’s, claims against Norfolk Southern Railroad represents a significant step toward finally putting the disastrous February 2023 derailment there to rest.

But unfortunately for the railroad, whose service territory includes parts of Pennsylvania, there are a number of other money headaches remaining that will continue the throbbing inside the company’s financial “cranium.”

It’s an unenviable future that awaits N.S., and it seems much too early to predict how and when those predictably burdensome obligations will reach settlement stage and end the nagging, persistent diversions from the railroad’s main function of moving cargoes — most safe but others potentially deadly.

It was potentially deadly cargoes being hauled by N.S. that thrust the railroad into its current unrelenting, expensive financial predicament.

For the sake of this important local carrier, it is to be hoped that remaining unfinished settlements are quickly achievable but, judging from the scope and the entities involved in some of them, that probably will be highly unlikely.

For example, Ohio and Pennsylvania have lawsuits pending against the railroad, as do some companies and smaller-in-size governmental entities.

Meanwhile, a handful of residents challenging Norfolk Southern’s $600 million settlement related to the derailment have asked for a court order throwing out a judge’s order requiring them to obtain an $850,000 bond to continue their appeal for higher compensation and additional information about accident-related contamination.

The train involved in the accident was pulling at least 11 cars transporting hazardous materials.

Then there is a separate settlement with the federal government that is awaiting a judge’s approval.

Quoting from an article about the settlement, “that deal includes $25 million for medical exams and another $30 million for drinking water monitoring in the decades ahead but doesn’t include any money to treat health problems that might develop. The railroad also agreed to pay a $15 million fine and follow through on its commitments to pay for the $1 billion cleanup in East Palestine and invest roughly $244 million in safety upgrades across its network spanning 22 states in the Eastern U.S.”

What happened on the day of the accident and during the days immediately following it reminded communities that at the very least they must pay attention to railroad issues.

That includes communities throughout Pennsylvania, which every day watch trains crossing them, heading for destinations wherever.

For those communities, it is safe to conclude that the derailment was too close for comfort, and no doubt some residents still picture in their minds what scenarios could have existed if the derailment in question had occurred “at home” rather than in that Ohio town just west of Ohio’s border with Pennsylvania.

The derailment could have proven to be much more destructive than what occurred in Ohio, especially if it had occurred in a more densely populated neighborhood in a larger town or even a city.

Despite the latest settlement with East Palestine, there likely will be much more news to come regarding that community’s unfortunate incident.

Like communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania, other railroad communities across the United States need to stay informed about what positive safety changes on the railroad front, if any, are the product of “February 2023.”

Hopefully, there will be some.