Track defects are among issues in focus for a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into a July freight train derailment and chemical fire that caused the evacuation of the village of Glendora.
The July 5 derailment involved 22 cars on an Illinois Central Railroad (ICR) southbound train that had left Memphis, Tennessee, around 11:08 a.m. and was bound for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when the incident occurred at 2:26 p.m. local time, according to an Aug. 5 NTSB preliminary report.
The report notes that on Wednesday, July 2, an ICR automated rail inspection car had detected "two superelevation track defects in the area" of track where the derailment would occur three days later.
The report explains that superelevation refers to the elevation difference between the inner and outer rails on a curved section of track.
On Thursday, July 3, ICR responded by sending out a track surfacing unit to address the issue, the report states, and subsequently posted a 10 mph speed limit on the affected section of track for the next two trains that came through. Later on July 3, the speed limit was increased to 30 mph. Normal track speed in that area is 70 mph for passenger trains and 60 mph for freight trains, the report adds.
When the accident occured on Saturday, the 30 mph speed restriction was still in place, and onboard train event recorders show that the ICR train passing Glendora was traveling at 29 mph on a right-hand curve on a day when visibility conditions were clear and there was no precipitation.
The report indicates that the train was comprised of "139 railcars (59 loaded railcars and 80 empties, including 11 residue cars), with 23 hazardous materials tank cars. Of the 23 hazardous materials railcars, 1 was loaded with compressed gas (refrigerant), 16 were loaded with benzene, and 6 were loaded with petroleum."
When one of the derailed benzene cars apparently ruptured, the chemical caught fire, and about 160 people were evacuated within a one-mile radius. Tallahatchie County and other area firefighters battled the fire, which was finally extinguished at about 11:30 p.m. by ICR hazardous materials responders, the report states.
There were no reports of injuries during or after the crash. The train was manned by one engineer and one conductor.
The report notes that ICR has estimated damages to be about $1.5 million.
Canadian National Railway operates the track on which the accident occurred.
The continuing investigation will focus "on ICR’s procedures related to track inspections, engineering defect mitigation, employee training and testing, and emergency response," the report notes.
Parties to the investigation are the Federal Railroad Administration; the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; Canadian National Railway; the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers; the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division.
A final report is expected within one year, NTSB indicates.
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