Readers may recall in February, 38 cars of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in Ohio, prompting concerns about railroad safety in cities across the nation, including in New York. Now, some repairs and upgrades have been completed, notably in Binghamton.

Because most railroad bridges are owned by private companies, cities aren’t permitted to fix them on their own.

Norfolk Southern told Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham to provide proof of railroads in bad condition in order to get repairs.

So he did.

The city funded a private inspection of its railroad bridges. In August, Binghamton released a 900-page report that found more than half of the railroad overpasses in the city were in poor condition. Most of those bridges are owned by Norfolk Southern.

Three weeks after the critical report, the company sent crews to fix the bridges and paid for the repairs, the first time that’s happened in the state. Several of the repairs have been completed.

Kraham says Norfolk Southern is committing millions of dollars, and it is expected to continue into next year.

“And it's about delivering for the residents," said Kraham. "I made a pledge that I would hold the railroads accountable. They came to the table, they allocated resources. We see the results, which are so different than the visuals that drivers had to deal with."

Of the 25 railroad bridges the city inspected, 15 were in poor or severe condition, with 12 having significant structural damage.

The mayor believes Binghamton can serve as a model for other cities across the state. He said he plans on showing the city's plan of action to mayors throughout New York to improve railroad safety.