Why dedicate an entire

                               website to

                          Toxic Train derailments?

 

For the victims.

Hot Zone News,       January 28th, 2008

Man Suing Union Pacific For 2004 Derailment  SAN ANTONIO -- Testimony is expected to get under way Tuesday in an injury lawsuit against Union Pacific over a deadly train wreck in 2004.

Kenneth Schoenfield is seeking an unspecific amount of damages in a claim that he suffered permanent injuries after inhaling chlorine gas being carried by the train when it collided with another train head-on.

“They ran a caution, be-prepared-to-stop light and they ran through a red light without ever putting the brakes on and ran into another train,” said Dana Kirk, Schoenfield’s attorney. “When you’re carrying hazardous materials, that kind of conduct is simply unacceptable.”

Three people, including the train’s conductor, were killed in the train wreck and about 30 people were injured.

The collision and subsequent derailment happened at about 5 a.m. on June 28, 2004, near Loop 1604 and Nelson Road in southwest Bexar County. January 28th, 2008, KSAT.com

Emergency officials mark anniversary of fiery train derailment  BROOKS, Ky. (WAVE) -- One year ago, CSX freight train derailed in Bullitt County spilling chemicals and forcing evacuations. WAVE 3's Elizabeth Donatelli was there Wednesday as officials marked the one year anniversary.

The scene looks similar to how it did on this day last year. Many of the rail cars are still there because of pending lawsuits. What happened has changed are the lives of everyone who was there one year ago.

At 8:46 a.m. January 16th, 2007, 13 train cars derailed in Bullitt County spilling hazardous material all over the area.

"Come to find out it's the worst on a CSX line in the state of Kentucky and the third worst on a CSX line in North America," said Chief Rob Orkies of the Zoneton Fire Department.

First responders were on the scene within minutes. Looking back, officials say they wouldn't do anything differently.

"There's nothing more we could do. We had every resource called for and workstation manned. We had great people sitting there," said James Skidmore, Bullitt County's 911 director. January 16th, 2008, WAVE 3 TV Louisville

Coal Train Derails Near Carroll  Clean-up is now underway at the scene of a major train derailment in Carroll Country. Thirty-three cars of a 135-car Union Pacific train derailed around 6:30 this morning just east of the town of Carroll.

The train was carrying coal and was headed from Wyoming to Illinois. No one was injured in the derailment, however two of Union Pacific's main tracks through Iowa are blocked. Clean-up started before noon and crews are unsure when the tracks will reopen. The cause of the derailment is also under investigation. January 15th, 2008, DesMoines WHO TV.com

Lots of missing facts in editorial  Letter to the Editor:  To the editor: I am writing in response to your editorial "Quit wailing, start seeing rail partnerships."

You omit many pertinent facts associated with the pending acquisition of the EJ&E line by CN.

Firstly, the "whiners" are hardly an isolated bunch of cranks. The Barrington Coalition Against CN Rail Congestion is comprised of nine affected townships. Our elected officials, including Reps. Melissa Bean and Don Manzullo and state Sens. William Peterson and Pamela Althoff, have expressed opposition, as have other affected communities. There must be some merit to the arguments of so many well-informed stakeholders.

Your editorial neglects to mention these important points:

• CN first tried to slip this through as a "minor transaction," without the need for mitigation or environmental impact studies. It is due to the diligent work of the Coalition that we won the right to a hearing and an EIS.

• CN had no intention to help the affected communities or made any concrete offers of assistance. Now that they are facing resistance, they have made vague statements that they are willing to work with communities.

• CN plans to dramatically increase the number of freight trains through our region by more than 20 per day to start. Once they open the Prince Rupert freight terminal and route all those additional trains through here, plus lease the use of the line to other freight carriers, we will see near constant train traffic.

• The effects on the health and safety of our community and children are not mentioned. What about all the increased air pollution from those locomotives and the idling cars? What about the toxic chemicals carried on those trains and the danger of derailment? What about CN's terrible safety record and their numerous violations?

• What about our children who have to cross the tracks to get to school?

Meanwhile, how does this benefit us? Are we supposed to sacrifice our community to help CN's bottom line?

There is a region-wide plan, called CREATE, to deal with freight congestion (www.createprogram.org.) January 14th, 2008, DailyHerald.com, letter to the editor, Arthur Holzknecht

Rail safety has to be a top priority  Editorial:  Government regulation is usually something to be avoided.

But in the wake of a report released last week on last year’s CSX train derailment near Oneida, pressure must be put on federal officials to maintain public rail safety because the potential for disaster is enormous.

The derailment of the 81-car freight train occurred March 12, 2007, causing four propane tanks to explode and sending plumes of toxic smoke into the air. It forced the evacuation of 200 nearby residents, briefly shut down a 23-mile stretch of the state Thruway, and temporarily suspended passenger train service between Albany and Syracuse.

Cause of the derailment: A broken rail.

The report estimated damage at $2.08 million; fortunately, no one was hurt – largely due to the quick action of emergency responders who were able to clear the area with expediency. Although the site of the derailment wasn’t heavily populated, the toxic smoke was cause for concern to nearby residences and businesses, which were evacuated for several days.

It could have been much worse. The main line for freight and passenger service passes very close to homes in many Central New York communities. In the village of Whitesboro, for instance, the tracks run with a few hundred feet of some homes along Main Street. A derailment and explosion in such a spot could be tragic.

Although the report found no violations in connection with the accident and concluded the crew was operating in full compliance with federal standards, CSX had paid nearly $350,000 for federal rail safety violations a year earlier. Since, the Federal Railroad Administration said the railroad had made “significant strides” in short-term improvements after a system-wide inspection one year ago found 3,518 safety defects, including 199 serious violations.

Oneida city officials plan to review the federal report, and although the city has no regulatory authority over the railroad, local, state and federal officials need to keep pressure on the government to toughen regulations. January 13th, 2008, UticaOD.com

Far-Westside residents air anger at town hall on train wreck  More than 70 angry Far-Westside residents packed the Wayne Township Fire Department headquarters Friday night, demanding answers about last weekend’s train derailment.

Resident Roger Schultz uses well water and is upset about potential groundwater contamination from spilled chemicals.
“For the next two weeks, I’ll be showering, drinking and cooking this water,” he said.
More than 30 rail cars derailed at Girls School Road, south of Rockville Road, when a train from Buffalo, N.Y., slammed into runaway cars that had broken loose from the Avon rail yards about 3 a.m. Sunday. Two CSX employees were injured, but their injuries were not serious, company spokesmen said.

Marion County Health Department officials think that about 50 wells exist within the area and have identified 16 so far. The department is testing water as a precaution, and results will be back in about two weeks.

Officials were on hand Friday from CSX, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Wayne Township Fire Department.

IDEM officials now estimate that about 1,900 gallons of diesel fuel spilled, along with about 27,000 gallons of soybean oil and 21,000 gallons of lubricating oil. About 1,000 gallons of fertilizer also spilled.

Resident Jennifer Crittenden said rumors were spreading in her neighborhood about a blue liquid being spilled. Sutton said that was lubricating oil.

“Anything blue like that is not natural,” she said.

Tom Drake of CSX’s office of public and government affairs said the company would reimburse public agencies and cover all cleanup costs.

“Investigators are still reconstructing the steps and the sequence of events that allowed this to happen,” he said. “Clearly a set of cars were not secured the way they should have been.”

Several residents complained about emotional distress stemming from the crash and said they wish they had been better notified about what was happening. Drake tried to offer his apologies but few listened. January 12, 2008, Indystar.com

N.D.: Derailment Checks Not Sent Yet   BISMARCK, N.D. — Three months after a judge approved the settlement of a class action lawsuit in a 2002 derailment and chemical spill on the edge of Minot, residents are still waiting for checks.

U.S. District Judge Dan Hovland in October gave final approval to the $7 million settlement, potentially affecting thousands of Minot-area residents. Of the total, $2.9 million is to go to the plaintiffs' attorneys and the rest to people hurt by the January 2002 anhydrous ammonia cloud that drifted over the city after the derailment, killing one man who tried to escape the fumes and sending others to the hospital.

Attorneys had speculated that checks from Canadian Pacific Railway might be sent out by Thanksgiving, then later amended the guess to Christmas and then to sometime after New Year's.

Now, "Unfortunately, my best guess is that it will likely be another couple of months before all this can be finalized and checks issued," Mike Miller, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys, said this week.

Chanhassen, Minn.-based Analytics Inc., a consulting firm that administers class action settlements, is determining how many of the roughly 4,000 people who submitted claims under the Minot settlement are eligible for money.

The settlement does not include people who filed individual lawsuits against the railroad, nor the 228 people who opted out of the class action case to pursue their own lawsuits.

The settlement also excludes people who signed releases of liability for the railroad after Feb. 17, 2002, a month after the derailment. The 30-day "cooling-off" period is a matter of law. The railroad said earlier that the people who signed those releases each received several hundred dollars.

People eligible for money under the class action settlement are likely to each get around $1,000. The three lead plaintiffs each get $25,000.

Analytics has never said how long it might take to go through the list of claimants and determine eligibility. Steven Mueller, manager of claims operations, declined to say this week when checks might be mailed. He referred questions to the plaintiffs' attorneys.

Miller said Analytics is facing a big job in determining how many claimants signed the railroad's release forms after the cooling-off period.

Analytics' Web site asks people to "please be patient," and says information about when settlement payments will be mailed will be updated "at the appropriate time."

Separately, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has formally dismissed an appeal of a March 2006 Hovland ruling in the case. Hovland dismissed the class action lawsuit, ruling that the Federal Railroad Safety Act protects the railroad from such lawsuits.

Miller appealed the ruling a few months later. The appeal became moot after the settlement approved by Hovland last fall.

A bill signed by President Bush last August says the Federal Railroad Safety Act does not prevent people from collecting in personal-injury lawsuits brought against railroads. The change is retroactive to Jan. 18, 2002, the date of the Minot derailment. January 11th, 2008, Houston Chronicle.com

Relocating Railroads: It's Going To Take Billions Of Dollars It was a $150 million plan to move railroad lines away from San Antonio's populated areas, but that plan is now on hold.

News 4 is uncovers why nothing has been done to move those rail lines years after several deadly train derailments in San Antonio.

In 2004 and 2005, there were many train derailments in and around San Antonio. Some of those were deadly, including one on the city's east side, where a man was killed when a train accidentally came off the tracks and backed into his office at a cold storage warehouse.

"It was probably about five blocks from my office where a gentleman was killed," says State Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon. Since that derailment, State Rep. McClendon has worked with other lawmakers to move rail lines away from homes and neighborhoods.

Last year, they approved $100 to $150 million to do just that. "That estimate was very, very low. Very, very low," adds McClendon.

That money was never budgeted, because McClendon now says it will cost billions of dollars to move rail lines. "That money would have to come in every single year to fund that project."

That is money the state doesn't have. Still, McClendon insists, moving the rail lines is still a top priority and she's optimistic it will happen.

"We realize that without rail relocation we're going to continue to have the trains jumping off the tracks in these densely populated areas of our city," she says. "I would say that within five years we can see that actually happen."

Union Pacific has said in the past it is willing to move its lines, but it wants taxpayers to help with the costs. January 11th, 2008, WOAI.com

Uneven track led to derailment  The derailment that sent a dozen rail cars off the Union Pacific line in Butler County on Jan. 2 was caused by rails that were not level, a railroad spokesman said Thursday.

The 49-car train was more than three miles north of Whitewater when the derailment occurred about 7:15 p.m. next to Northwest 120th Street.

Seven of the derailed cars were empty, Davis said. Three were carrying methanol, a fuel additive; one was carrying acetic acid, a fuel additive; and one was carrying plastic pellets. January 11th, 2008, Kansas.com

Public hearing tonight about water quality following train derailment  NDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A massive train derailment last weekend is causing concerns today about water quality on the city's far west side. That's the focus of what's expected to be a big public hearing tonight.

As you may recall, more than one hundred freight cars got out of the CSX rail yard in Avon. This happened without an engine. The cars crashed head on into a train bound for Avon. That resulted in a chemical spill including things like fertilizer, petroleum and soybean oil.

The Marion County Health Department has been taking well-water samples from nearby homes. "Ground water migrating to those wells would happen inweeks to months, not hours to days. So we're not really anticipating looking for what's in there right now. We're trying to get a baseline right now," said Jason Ravenscroft from the Marion County Health Department.

Officials say they'll do tests several months from now to re-check for contamination. They say only well-water is affected. Meantime, the health department along with state environmental and csx officials are holding that public hearing tonight. It's set tonight at 6:00 p.m. at the Wayne Township Fire Department Class Room E. They'll be answering questions from residents. January 11th, 2008 WISHTV.com

Groundwater being tested near CSX train derailment  INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Water testing is underway in the neighborhood surrounding the area where a CSX freight train derailed on Sunday.

Crews from the Marion County Health Department are taking water samples from homes on well water. Both the state of Indiana and a private lab for CSX will test the samples. They will look for contamination from liquid fertilizer, soy bean oil and petroleum products.

"Ground water migrating to those wells would happen in weeks to months, not hours to days. So we're not really anticipating looking for what's in there right now. We're trying to get a baseline right now," said Jason Ravenscroft with the Marion County Health Department.

Follow-up tests will be done several months from now to see if contaminants begin to appear. Only residents on well water would be affected.

A town hall meeting with residents will be held on Friday night to update residents on what's going on in the area. January 10th, 2008, WISHTV.com

CSX to face public on train derailment    CSX and government officials will address public concerts Friday stemming from the weekend Far-Westside train derailment.

The town hall meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at the Wayne Township Fire Department headquarters, 700 N. High School Road, classroom E. Officials will be on hand from CSX, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Wayne Township Fire and Marion County Emergency Management.

For more information, call Debbi Fletcher of the emergency department at (317) 327-7501.

Environmental officials now think fewer chemicals spilled during Sunday’s Far-Westside train derailment.

IDEM now estimates that about 1,900 gallons of diesel fuel spilled, down from 2,500 gallons as previously thought, said spokeswoman Amy Hartsock. She also said the quantity of spilled soybean oil is now about 27,000 gallons, significantly less than the estimate of 69,700 gallons. In addition, about 21,000 gallons of lubricating oil spilled, down from the department’s estimate of 25,000 gallons, she said.

The Marion County Health Department believes about a dozen homes in the area surrounding the crash at Girls School Road have well water, which is being tested as a precaution for contaminants. Spokesman John Althardt said they think there are no more than 50 wells in the area, and employees are still working to contact residents in about 100 homes.

More than 30 rail cars derailed when a train bound from Buffalo, N.Y., slammed into runaway cars that had broken loose from the Avon rail yards at about 3 a.m. Sunday. Two CSX employees were injured.  January 9th, 2008, Indystar.com

 Worse Than Love Canal - A Town Poisoned by Corporate Greed  Trial Begins this Week in Fort Worth, Texas in an Effort to Prove that a Texas Railroad Illegally Burned Ties Releasing Toxins in the Air, Destroying a Town

(CSRwire) Hundreds of Residents Suffer From Cancer and Dozens of Babies Have Been Born With Birth Defects

NEW YORK, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The first of many lawsuits against the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. claiming a railroad tie factory poisoned residents in the small town of Somerville, causing cancer and birth defects, is set to go to trial in Fort Worth this week.

The suit was filed by Linda and Donnie Faust, two of the dozens of people living in the Central Texas town who have sued the Fort Worth-based railroad company over a railroad tie factory owned by a predecessor firm until 1995.

The Fausts say creosote and other dangerous substances released by the factory helped cause Ms. Faust's devastating stomach cancer. Donnie Faust has worked at the plant near the Fausts' home since 1974. The couple is seeking at least $6 million in damages from a unit of BNSF, BNSF Railway.

In their suit, the Fausts claim the operator of the railroad tie plant "knew the grave, and sometimes fatal, consequences to the plaintiffs and persons of the general public in and around the wood treatment facility."

"The levels of Dioxin have tested to be the worst seen in the USA, far exceeding those found at Love Canal," says attorney Robert Weiss. "The entire community has been exposed to record levels of carcinogens. Some who have been exposed don't know when they will develop disease. Those people will be asserting a medical monitoring claim against the railroad asking the court to order the defendants to pay for regularly scheduled tests in the hope of early detection, diagnosis and treatment," Weiss adds.

The level of cancer and birth defects in Somerville is 60% higher than any place in America. January 8th, 2008,
Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release CSRwire.com

Amid Quieter Surroundings, New School Opens in Riverside   RIVERSIDE - Hawthorne Elementary School staff and students welcomed the rustic calm of their new campus Monday, a haven from the constant rumble of passing freight and commuter trains.

Hawthorne's $17.5 million campus opened Monday on Riverside's historic Victoria Avenue, in the heart of the city's agricultural greenbelt, as 669 students reported for kindergarten through sixth-grade classes on their first day back in school after winter recess. .... The old campus sits next to railroad tracks, whose volume of traffic has swelled, as well as near an electrical substation and Highway 91.

First-grade teacher Mariana Robles said she often had to interrupt her classroom readings or lessons in mid-sentence until the trains rolled past.

Such interruptions occurred 20 to 25 times each day, said Hawthorne Principal Linda Daltrey.

The tracks were so close that school librarian Liz Washburn regularly shut her library's rear door in search of quiet.

"You'd just stop whatever you were doing because you couldn't talk above the noise," Washburn said.

She was thrilled Monday to be standing in the school's red barn-style library.

Fearing a train derailment or toxic accident -- and citing safety and health concerns associated with the nearby substation and Highway 91 -- Riverside Unified School District officials decided it was time to move the 49-year-old campus to a safer site. January 9th, 2008, The Press Enterprise

'I feel really blessed' Residents return home  Lawrence Indiana- ....Finfrock and other residents who live near the train derailment in Lawrence – just northwest of Harvard – were allowed to return to their homes about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, after officials were assured that ethylene oxide, a toxic chemical, did not leak from the toppled train car, which was turned upright and inspected.

However, once the tanker car is moved to the tracks a “much smaller evacuation” could be necessary, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Federal and state Environmental Protection Agency officials, who were assisting with cleanup efforts, previously had concerns about groundwater and air contamination. In fact, residents initially were told Tuesday morning that it could be Friday before they could return to their homes.

Displaced residents such as Sherry Kennedy were eager to get back home. Kennedy, 53, wanted to check on her 12 show dogs that remained there.

Tom Stromblad, 49, was worried that rain water would flood his finished basement since his sump pump was disabled by a power outage.

ComEd officials expected that electricity would be restored by late Tuesday.

While ComEd crews worked to remove downed wires and restore power to customers, McHenry County Emergency Management Agency officials were at the scene to coordinate resources and cleanup efforts.

The main concern always was for the safety of residents, said Al Schlick, a Wauconda fire division chief and HazMat team leader.

Schlick said that the derailed train car did leak hydrolube, a lubricant, but not ethylene oxide.

The possible chemical spill caused authorities to evacuate more than 100 homes within a 1.5-mile radius of the Lawrence-area derailment. At least one resident refused to evacuate. January 9th, 2008, Northwest Herald.com

FW's Burlington Northern RR Sued Over Cancer   FORT WORTH (AP) ― Owners of a plant that makes railroad ties were grossly negligent in failing to provide safety equipment for workers handling toxic chemicals, a pollution prevention expert testified Tuesday in the first of a flurry of lawsuits by people who say the factory caused their cancer.

The witness and lawyers suing BNSF Railway Co. say the company kept workers and residents of the small Central Texas town of Somerville in the dark about dangers from chemicals such as creosote and arsenic, some of which were buried, burned or dumped in creeks.

"The railroad had a dirty little secret, and they buried it in a place where they didn't think anyone would look, listen or care," said Jared Woodfill, a lawyer for a 50-year-old woman who blames BNSF for her stomach cancer.

Linda Faust and her husband, who has worked at the plant for more than 30 years, are seeking at least $6 million in damages.

The railroad's lawyer, Douglas Poole, said there is no scientific evidence linking Linda Faust's cancer to the chemicals used at the plant, and instead pointed to her smoking habit.

"She never worked at the tie plant," Poole told jurors during his opening statement. "Her husband did. He's fine."

The trial in state district court is expected to last four weeks and is being watched closely as a bellwether for up to 200 similar lawsuits filed by Somerville residents and plant workers against BNSF and Koppers Inc.

BNSF is a unit of Fort-Worth based Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., which sold the plant to Pittsburgh-based Koppers in 1995 but remains its largest customer. January 8th, 2008, cbs11tv.com

Fiery explosion caused by broken rail; CSX followed standards  ONEIDA, N.Y. (AP) _ An undetected broken rail jarred a CSX train from its tracks last March, triggering the explosion of four liquid propane tankers just outside this upstate New York city, according to a federal report issued Tuesday.

The Federal Railroad Administration concluded that the CSX crew was operating the 81-car train in full compliance with federal standards.

The report also said that CSX had inspected and tested the track as required.

The FRA found no violations connected to the accident. The CSX freight train was traveling east from Buffalo to Albany when 29 cars jumped the tracks just outside Oneida, a city of about 10,000 located 20 miles east of Syracuse.

No one was injured, but plumes of toxic smoke prompted authorities to evacuate about 200 of the closest residents.

The fiery derailment also led authorities to briefly close a 23-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway and caused the temporary suspension of passenger train service between Albany and Syracuse. Damage was estimated at $2.08 million, the report said.

FRA inspectors found that the CSX train was traveling at 47 mph when the derailment occurred at around 7 a.m. The recommended speed for a mixed freight train in that area was 50 mph, the FRA said.

Crew members said they experienced a rough track, then reported hearing a loud "pop" from the track and saw sparks shooting from the back of the train, the report said.

Before the crew could respond, the train's emergency brakes activated, and nearly 30 cars jumped the tracks. Nineteen of the derailed cars were carrying liquid propane gas, while three others contained toluene, butane and ferric chloride, the report said. Four of the liquid propane tankers were punctured and exploded. January 8th, 2008, Newsday.com

Tiny Town Evacuated after Train Derailment & Chemical Leak  LAWRENCE, IL - The tornado that hit Boone county moved northeast into McHenry County, where a train came off its tracks because of the storm.

It happened north of Harvard near the tiny town of Lawrence. Police say 8 cars derailed and they found a leak near a container holding ethylene oxide. That's a chemical used to sterilize food or medical supplies.

Police issued a mandatory evacuation for Lawrence and the surrounding area. If people didn't have a place to go, there was shelter set up at Harvard High School. McHenry County Deputy Sheriff Aimee Knopp says, "We initiated the reverse 911 system that notifies residents of the evacuation and we went door to door."

Deputy Sheriff Knopp says people will have to stay away from their homes for at least a couple of hours because of the chemical leak. January 8th, 2008, WREX.com

Carbon dust is flying off train cars and into living rooms Causing a possible health hazard.

Train cars traveling along tracks that run right next to a neighborhood in Baldwin Often carry carbon back to and from plants in the area.

This carbon then ends up in front yards and the Department of Health and hospitals says it can be a potential health hazard.

Louisiana Delta Railroads, the company in charge of hauling the carbon says they are working to fix the problem.

They tell us we are still going to switch cars in Baldwin. But they will move the cars away from homes overnight in an effort to not block neighborhoods with cars and keep carbon dust from flying around. January 7th, 2008, KLFY.com

Graniteville: 3 years after train wreck It has been three years since the train wreck and deadly chlorine gas release in Graniteville turned that community on its ear.

Nine people lost their lives as a result of the events of that day when a train was accidentally routed onto a spur and struck a stationary locomotive. The resulting derailment led to the rupture of a tanker car carrying chlorine gas. The ensuing cloud of green poisonous gas led to the deaths and forced the evacuation of the tiny hamlet.

For the hundreds who inhaled some of the gas, there are still long-term health concerns. For the families of those lost there is a lifetime of pain and emptiness. For the community the fallout from that day continues. Most people put Jan. 6, 2005, as the event which proved to be the final nail in the demise of Avondale Mills whose mills were severely damaged by the chlorine gas. That led to the end of employment for around 1,000 people locally.

There has also been good news emanating from that day. A number of railroad safety practices changed as a result of the accident that will make it more unlikely that another such event will occur.

The towns of Graniteville, Vaucluse and Warrenville have started a serious effort at incorporation – something which had been often discussed but not previously pursued to this extent. It is possible that voters in that area could cast votes this year on incorporation.

Jan. 6 will remain a significant day in the life of the Graniteville community. It may well be seen as a phoenix-like event for the town with a new community rising from the destruction of that deadly day. January 7th, 2008 Aikenstandard.com

Graniteville remembers deadly train wreck and chlorine spill  GRANITEVILLE, SC --- It's been three years since the deadly train wreck and chlorine spill in Graniteville that took nine lives, left hundreds injured, and changed the face of the small community forever. A memorial service was held Sunday to honor the victims. More than 150 people gathered to remember those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

It's a day this community will never forget. January 6, 2005. Two Norfolk southern trains collided in downtown Graniteville. Several cars were derailed. A tanker carrying cresol, sodium hydroxide, and chlorine was ruptured. The chlorine caused severe respiratory problems for some of the victims. Nine people died in the accident. Hundreds more were injured. And about 5,400 Graniteville residents were forced from the area as part of a mandatory evacuation.

But on this day, it's a time for reflection. It was a service to recognize those who saved lives, and remember those who died. For Lillian Miles, this hits home. Her brother Alan Frazier was one of the victims. He was third shift supervisor at Avondale Mills.

"My brother Alan was more like a father versus brother because he was that compassionate and caring person," Lillian Miles said.

Miles said this occasion means a lot to her.

"I can't even express how it has just made me feel so good and encouraged that they do remember," Miles said.

The service intended to show the community's support and say thanks to everyone who helped save lives. Miles said its about commitment, love, and caring for each other.

"I just feel so uplifted. I really do," Miles said.

And as this close-knit community looks back on the tragedy that affected so many. They know their loved ones memories will live on.

"We want to every year be able to come back and stand in for our loved one," Miles said. January 7th, 2008 WRDW.com

More chemicals, fuel spilled at derailment  Indiana Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Amy Hartsock now says four liquids spilled when the two trains collided. State officials now estimate 69,700 gallons of soybean oil, 21,000 gallons of lube oil, 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 2,000-3,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer leaked into soil, a drainage ditch and a small creek.

State crews have contained the materials in Julia Creek which meanders south from the drainage ditch into the Quemetco Industrial Park west of Girls School Road.
They still believe the spill poises no danger to neighboring residents though they have begun going door to door to make sure no one is using well water for drinking or bathing purposes in the area, Hartsock said. All neighboring residents are hooked to city water, but could still use old wells, she said.

CSX and IDEM officials are concentrating initial clean up on the ditch and creek. Any contaminants mixed with water will be sent to a recycling facility, she said. IDEM's biggest concern is the liquid fertilizer, which can produce ammonia and kill fish and other wildlife.

"Our focus is on recovery and removal of as much liquid as possible right now," Hartsock said. "Any of the contaminants in those quantities can affect plant life or animals by causing a disruption to the ecosystem."

After IDEM officials deem the ditch and creek clean, they will concentrate on soil, she said. Crews will take soil samples and remove all contaminated soil. She expects cleanup to continue through the week, though those efforts won't affect the reopening of Girls School Road. January 7th, 2008, Indystar.com

Train crash spills oil and fuel Cars from CSX yard in Avon got in path of freight train  Hadea Hummeid woke up in fear early Sunday when she heard the clang of metal that shook her Far-Westside house near the train tracks.

The noise occurred when an Avon-bound train smashed into runaway train cars on the tracks near Girls School and Rockville roads about 3:30 a.m.

The crash derailed dozens of cars, injured two CSX employees and caused thousands of gallons of diesel fuel and soybean oil to leak onto the landscape.

Hummeid, 23, whose yard borders the tracks, said that from her bedroom window she saw sparks fly when the trains collided. She woke up her mother, Diane, and asked her to call 911, worried that the crash involved a passenger train.
"It felt and sounded weird," Hummeid said of the crash, which left disfigured metal cars packed together in piles along the stretch of track Sunday. "I was just worried about the people (on the train) and trying to calm down."
Wayne Township Fire Capt. Troy Wymer said about 112 cars were released accidentally from the CSX yard in Avon, about five miles west of the accident site.

They rolled east without a locomotive or person on board to propel them and collided with a 100-car train headed for Avon from Buffalo, N.Y.

The impact derailed 35 of the cars that came from the Avon yard. None of New York train's cars derailed, but 3,500 gallons of locomotive diesel fuel and about 2,000 gallons of soybean oil spilled, a company spokesman said. January 7th, 2007, Indystar.com

Trains collide, derail on city's west side  he hospital with serious injuries after a train derailment Sunday morning. The accident happened between South Girls School and North High School Road.

"Within seconds you heard this huge explosion. I thought a plane had crashed. Our house shook for at least 45 seconds," nearby resident Kay Schempp said.

Just before 3:30 Sunday morning dozens of west side families woke up to

"I have never heard anything like it, in all my life. It was scary," Schempp said.

"The rest of the booms shook the whole house and my son woke up screaming," nearby resident Lakeisha Fuqua said.

First responders say a CSX train from New York was heading to the Avon railyard. But before the train could get there, CSX officials say 112 railcars were accidentally released from the yard. This is where the cars hit the train head-on about 2 miles away from the railyard. Thirty-five cars were derailed.. Right in the Fuqua family's backyard.

"It was scary and I thought a plane had just dropped out of the sky because we live close to the airport," Lakeisha Fuqua said.

Authorities didn't evacuate anyone. Although they say the accident did cause more than 3,500 gallons of diesel fuel to spill. About 2,000 gallons of soybean oil also spilled. Officials say the train was also carrying a hazardous material called Styrene but it did not spill.

CSX crews arrived at the crash about 6 hours after it happened. They'll be responsible for cleaning up the derailed cars and the spill.

Firefighters say they rescued the conductor and another CSX employee. They were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. With the derailment happening so close to homes neighbors are just happy their family was not hurt.

CSX says it's still trying to figure out why more than 100 cars were released from the Avon yard, causing the accident. CSX says it does not suspect foul play. The company says it's unclear how long it will take to clean up the derailment and spill. January 6th, 2008, WISH TV Indianapolis

Long-idling trains bother Bend neighbors Residents' petition gets attention of railroad Lynette Van Deusen is used to trains, with a husband who is an avid model railroader and a son who used to work for Norfolk Southern Railway in Alabama.

When she moved to Bend’s Nottingham Square a decade ago, she was well aware the Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s railroad tracks were less than 200 feet from the edge of her property.

But when the railroad added a set of four sidings, parallel tracks that trains can use for waiting or for switching freight cars, things started to get intolerable, as freight locomotives increasingly idled, their engines rumbling, for hours on end.

“We had been told that you can’t fight the railroad, and I think it has just gotten to the point where the (freight) traffic has been increasing,” Van Deusen said.

Now, less than a month after dozens of residents living near the BNSF siding in southeast Bend mailed a petition to local, state and federal officials complaining about idling locomotives, the railroad said it’s about to make some changes, including meeting with nearby neighbors.

“We have brought this to the attention of division and local management, and we are attempting to make adjustments, including minimizing switcher engine time,” said Gus Melonas, BNSF’s spokesman in Seattle. January 5th, 2008, www.bendbulletin.com

Residents may need screenings  AIKEN --- Health screenings for Graniteville residents affected by the 2005 train wreck and chemical spills continue as the state Department of Health and Environmental Control tries to reduce the effect of the disaster on the community.

The Graniteville Recovery and Chlorine Epidemiology project, or GRACE, has continued contacting residents to identify those who need medical care and to get them to an area physician, said Dr. Erik Svendsen, a DHEC epidemiologist.

Project findings so far include:

- 958 residents are enrolled in a health registry, with 340 health screenings done in the past three years.

- The total number of victims is put at 1,384, with 851 of those receiving immediate medical attention.

- 55 percent of residents seen in the first round of screenings in 2005 were recommended for additional medical care

 for at least one condition.

- More than half of the 259 residents in first-round screenings tested positive for decreased lung function.

- 26 percent of those in the first-round screening had some form of inflamed airways.

- About 33 percent of those in the first-round screening showed evidence of possible asthma.

Although future health screenings are not planned, anyone who lived or worked in Graniteville around the time of the accident can register with the Aiken County Helpline, Dr. Svendsen said.

Residents and workers can use the help line to provide contact information and stories about where people were during the event. Correct phone numbers and addresses are pertinent to keeping the project findings accurate, because follow-up calls are made.

"This is not a study or research, but a project to help in the recovery of the disaster, which takes a lot longer than the response," Dr. Svendsen said. "The idea is we're trying to identify everyone who has been impacted by this to see if there's unusual patterns of death or disease."

The GRACE project was initially funded by DHEC with $182,000 in 2005. Additional DHEC funds and contributions from Aiken County total $500,000.

"We'll continue this until we believe the community has recovered," Dr. Svendsen said. January 4th, 2008, Augusta Chronicle

Study: Hundreds Harmed After Train Wreck   COLUMBIA, S.C. — More than a quarter of the people examined by medical officials in the aftermath of a deadly 2005 South Carolina train wreck and chemical spill suffered from serious lung problems and even more had mental health troubles, according to a state health agency's report.

The report by the Department of Health and Environmental Control released Thursday said more than 850 people were injured and sought medical care following the train wreck in Graniteville. Nine people died and the area was evacuated of thousands of others when a Norfolk Southern train car carrying chlorine ruptured and released a

 poisonous cloud over the mill town near the Georgia state line.

Most of the people examined by medical experts had suffered some type of lung injury, said Erik Svendsen, an epidemiologist with the state health department.

"We found more than we anticipated," Svendsen said of the number of injured. "I'm not surprised because this was a disaster and you always miss people in a disaster."

Of about 230 people the health agency tested initially, 55 percent were recommended for additional follow-up medical care. The agency used lung functioning and breath moisture tests to determine ailments such asthma and lung inflammation.

The agency could not determine that the lung injuries were solely chlorine-related. Svendsen said that wasn't the point.

"We were looking for injuries likely to be caused by chlorine exposure, obviously," he said. "But if it is or isn't, it doesn't matter to us. As the health department, we want people to get healthy."

Svendsen said he was surprised 42 percent of people surveyed showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. People were tested using various questions that typically are asked of war veterans and Sept. 11 terrorist attack survivors, he said.

"You wouldn't expect that much in a healthy community unless they shut down every business in a community," Svendsen said.

However, that's nearly what's happened in Graniteville. Avondale Mills, the major employer in the town, has shuttered its facilities, leaving many people out of work.

And there are constant reminders of the disaster. Railroad cars still roll through town and a concrete memorial sits on a grassy knoll near the derailment site. On Sunday, a service on the third anniversary of the disaster is scheduled for Sunday at a middle school gym just blocks from the derailment site, said Phil Napier, the fire chief who responded to the train wreck.

Napier said some people still talk about personal property damage or injury cases that remain unsettled. Napier was overcome by the chlorine when he responded in the early morning hours after the spill and had to drive away from the scene after speaking briefly with the train's engineer, who later died. January 4th, 2008, Houston Chronicle

CSX fined $350,000 by government, in part over train wreck  LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- CSX Corp. has been fined $350,000 by the federal government after a safety investigation brought on in part by a fiery train wreck south of Louisville last year.

The fines cover 141 safety violations in Kentucky and other states. The incidents cited include runaway rail cars, derailments and collisions.

CSX said in a statement that the railroad is committed to safety improvements through "prudent, long-term investments."

CSX determined that a broken bolt caused a train derailment on Jan. 16 in Brooks, near Louisville. The derailment set off massive fires, unleashing thick black smoke and forcing more than a dozen families out of their homes for a month or more.

After that incident and others in late 2006 and early 2007, federal inspectors fanned out across CSX's rail network to conduct a series of safety checks in 23 states.

The Federal Railroad Administration investigation found that CSX failed to replace defective rails, didn't make track repairs where problems already were known, hauled tank cars with loose closures and without proper shipping papers, and did not properly perform or record brake tests. January 4th, 2008, www.courier-journal.com

Freight Train Derails in Sabine Parish  Workers in Sabine Parish are trying to upright a freight train that overturned near the town of Converse.

Louisiana State Police told KSLA News 12 they were notified about the derailment around 6:30 a. m. Wednesday. They say 12 cars of a Kansas City-Southern train jumped the tracks in a wooded area near Highway 171 after hitting a section of broken rail.

Eight of the cars were carrying loads of grain, while four were filled with lube oil, state police said. However, they called in their hazardous materials team to make sure there were no dangerous chemicals present. One inspector at the scene told KSLA News 12 that nothing was leaking from the wreckage and there is no danger to community.

But people who live nearby were prepared for the worst. Orland Anderson, whose home is directly in front of the derailment area, said he was packed and ready to evacuate. January 2nd, 2008, KSLA.com

'04 train derailment leads to explosion, lawsuit  A 2004 train derailment in Watertown has led to legal action after hazardous waste collected from the scene exploded at a site in Arkansas.

That's according to the Texarkana Gazette, which says that Clean Harbors, Inc. is suing Op-Tech and CSX railroad.

In the 2004 accident, 9 cars of a 104-car CSX train jumped the tracks near outer Bradley Street.

CSX hired Op-Tech to dispose of the spilled sodium chlorate that was collected at the scene, the Gazette reported, quoting court papers.

Op-Tec contracted with Clean Harbors to dispose of the material at its facility in El Dorado, Arkansas.

Clean Harbors claims the material was mislabeled when it was shipped, leading to an explosion at the El Dorado facility, causing millions of dollars in damage.

Sodium Chlorate is used in paper making and is essentially salt. However it can become explosive when mixed with certain other materials. January 2nd, 2008, Newswatch50.com

This shouldn't have needed a senator Editorial Erie County residents may get an answer after all on why a Norfolk Southern train derailed at the Venice Road intersection on Oct. 29 thanks to the efforts of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown.

The Federal Railroad Administration has agreed to conduct its own investigation into why 17 Triple Crown trailers loaded with toilet paper and paper towels derailed.

Initially, the FRA was allowing the Norfolk Southern to conduct its own investigation since the agency doesn't probe train wrecks unless the accident is particularly serious.

Some of the criteria the FRA uses to determine whether to investigate a train accident is if the incident involves serious injury or death, involves the passenger service Amtrak, causes damages in excess of $1 million, if the train was carrying hazardous or nuclear materials or the accident generated "considerable public interest," according to the FRA deputy administrator Clifford Eby.

While it may be debatable whether 17 trailers loaded with toilet paper fits the "hazardous materials" definition, in all seriousness the accident was and is of 'considerable public interest' to the thousands of commuters that pass through that train crossing each day.

Are the tracks safe? Was there human error involved? Was the train overloaded or traveling too fast? Was there a mechanical failure that caused the accident? Is the crossing at Venice Road safe? These are questions to which taxpayers of Erie County deserve an answer. January 1st, 2008, SanduskyRegister.com

Judge denies class-action for lawsuit over 2005 UP train derailment  TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) - A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit over a 2005 train derailment in Texarkana that killed one and sickened others will not become a class-action lawsuit.

District Court Judge Harry Barnes ruled the lawsuit over the Union Pacific railroad crash can move forward, but only with the specific complaints of Samuel Alexander, Gloria Bradford, Ned Burnett and Stella Smith.

In his ruling, Barnes said the lawsuit over the crash did not meet the requirements of a class-action lawsuit.

A trial is scheduled to begin June 2nd.

The October 15, 2005, derailment triggered an explosion that killed a woman who lived near a Texarkana railyard.

A train from Chicago struck another train, from Pine Bluff, in the yard on the south side of town. Some of the cars derailed in an accordion effect, piercing a propylene tanker that leaked part of its flammable cargo. December 31st, 2007,CapitalNews9.com

Ten months after one of the worst local derailments in recent memory, Dave Markson and his neighbors still catch their breath when they hear a train coming.

“All the years we lived here, we never paid any attention to the train,” said Markson, whose home abuts the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad line in Fulton Township. “Now when the train comes through, we all stop and look at it, you know, with our hearts in our mouths, hoping it doesn’t derail.”

But Markson and his neighbors didn’t just sit in fear waiting for the next derailment. They took action, launching a letter-writing campaign to local and state officials asking them to support a plan to improve the rail.

Now, their actions might lead to the largest improvement project in Wisconsin & Southern Railroad’s history, a railroad official said—provided the company gets funding from the state.

Wisconsin & Southern formed plans to replace the rail between Madison and Milton after successive derailments in Fulton Township. The first, Feb. 16, knocked 14 cars off the track and cost the company $1.2 million.

On April 21, another seven cars went off the track.

Shortly after the derailments, the company announced a plan to replace the 90-pound, 80-year-old rail between Milton and Madison with new, 115-pound rail.

But Wisconsin & Southern needs state assistance to make the plan a reality. While the railroad pays for track maintenance, the state pays 80 percent of upgrade costs. The remaining 20 percent is split between the rail company and local governments. December 18th, 2007, Gazettextra.com

Massive Train Derailment: 30 cars off the tracks in southeast Edmonton  Crews are cleaning up a thirty-car train derailment about 40 km southeast of Edmonton.

About 3:35 a.m., Strathcona County Mounties were advised of the derailment near Highway 630 and Range Road 211, near the south entrance to the Antler Lake subdivision. Mounties made their way to the scene and determined that there were no injuries in the incident.

They say they've been advised by CN that none of the derailed cars contain hazardous materials.

Work to restore the rail line will be ongoing and area residents should expect workers and equipment in the area.

Mounties ask that people driving in the area slow down as they pass work crews.  December 4th, 2007, EdmontonSun.com
 

Derailed train cleared, cause under investigation BALTIMORE (Map, News) - CSX says railcars have been cleared from tracks in Baltimore after a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed near M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

About a dozen cars of the 131-car CSX Transportation train traveling from Philadelphia to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, came off the tracks on Saturday.

CSX spokesman Bob Sullivan says the cars were cleared off the track late Saturday and trains were able to run through that area again by 10:30 a.m. Sunday. One car that overturned carried residue of tetrachloroethylene, an ingredient in cleaning solutions that can be toxic if inhaled, but Sullivan says nothing had leaked from the cars.  November 25th, 2007, The Examiner.com

CPR v. the NIMBYs at Mayo Clinic
It was full-speed ahead for Canadian Pacific Railway's U.S. rail acquisition, right up until the renowned Mayo Clinic suggested that a little-used stretch of rail a few blocks from its Rochester, Minn., campus could be a big problem - especially if it were targeted by terrorists

When Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. went cross-border shopping and spent $1.5-billion (U.S.), it didn't count on a little-used stretch of track near the world famous Mayo Clinic to throw the deal off course.

Just last week, CPR executives said they expected to receive clearance to buy the Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corp. by May. Any regulatory decision will now likely be postponed until next October, after the U.S. Surface Transportation Board ruled that it will take a detailed look at Calgary-based CPR's plan to buy DM&E from private equity owners.

The ruling comes after a series of complaints, including from rail rival Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. of Fort Worth, Tex., and the Mayo Clinic, which is sounding the alarm on potential terrorism on trains or derailments near the renowned hospital in Rochester, Minn.

Hospital officials argue that William Worrall Mayo staked the ground first.

The Rochester Coalition, a group of Minnesota business and government leaders, opposes plans for sharply increased train traffic without adequate safety buffers.

"This is definitely a grassroots protest," said Bruce Fairchild, regional director of operations at the Kahler Grand Hotel and three other hotels near the Mayo Clinic.

"It's not that we don't want Canadians down here investing their money. If you take a look, you'll see that the train tracks come right through heart of Rochester at street level," Mr. Fairchild said in an interview from the stately Kahler, built in 1921 across the street from the Mayo Clinic.

Today, the medical complex, which employs 28,000 people, has more than 1,500 hospital beds near tracks to be acquired by CPR. Intensive care patients, premature newborns, transplant recipients and accident victims would be placed at risk in the event of a derailment of hazardous materials, with few options for evacuation, the Mayo Clinic said its filing to the regulatory board.

"While Mayo Clinic closely guards the confidentiality of its patients, public information routinely available reveals that national and international leaders and their family members routinely travel to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for diagnosis and treatment of highly complex medical diseases and disorders," the hospital added in its submission. "Such information will not have escaped the notice of those desiring to cause harm and makes Mayo Clinic a unique terrorist target."

The sprawling hospital is vulnerable because it is within two or three blocks of train tracks, and in some cases, right next to the rails, Mayo Clinic spokesman Chris Gade said in an interview yesterday.

The Mayo Clinic said in its filing that it hasn't decided whether to oppose the actual sale of DM&E, but it stated major reservations about CPR's coal expansion plans because up to 43 trains a day would go through Rochester at high speeds, up from two or three trains at slow speeds.

There have been a series of rail owners over the years, including DM&E since 1986, with just two or three trains a day.

CPR first announced the corporate takeover on Sept. 5. The centrepiece of its U.S. expansion strategy would be acquiring Sioux Falls, S.D.-based DM&E's right to haul coal at the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.

Burlington and Union Pacific Corp. already transport Wyoming coal, and Burlington has filed its objections to CPR's plans. Other opponents include the City of Winona in Minnesota, the Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa Northern Railway Co.

"While large-scale rail incidents involving hazardous materials are thankfully rare, the potential for disaster for the Mayo Clinic is real," said the hospital, which was successful earlier this year in helping thwart DM&E's plans to obtain $2.3-billion in federal U.S. loans for expansion into Wyoming coal. November 6th, 2007, GlobeandMail.com

Clara City Train Derailment Tragedy Narrowly Averted, As Evacuees Allowed to Go Home 

Track problem caused train derailment near Bonner  Officials with Montana Rail Link say that a problem with the tracks is to blame for a train derailment that happened near Bonner over the weekend.

MRL says that about 140 feet of track was torn up during the derailment and crews spent most of Saturday re-railing a train car and two locomotives that went off the tracks and fixing the stretch of rail damaged in the incident.

The train car was empty when it derailed after midnight Saturday as it was returning from Opportunity Pond near Anaconda where it dumped off a load of contaminated sediments from the Milltown Dam cleanup site. October 29th, 2007, KPAX.com

Clara City, Minnesota Train Derailment Causes Hydrochloric Acid Leak, Results in Evacuation of 400 People   A train derailment in Clara City, Minnesota, forced the evacuation of hundreds of people this morning after it was discovered that a tanker on the train had ruptured and was leaking hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is a highly toxic chemical that can cause severe injuries if it comes into contact with skin or eyes, and its vapors can also cause damage to the lungs and respiratory tract.

The Clara City train derailment occurred on the west side of Clara City, a town of 1,350 people about 95 miles from Minneapolis. According to town officials, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train was passing through Clara City when it struck a parked train at approximately 4:00 a.m. At least 50 cars from the Burlington Northern train came off the tracks, and one tanker that was known to be carrying hydrochloric acid had ruptured and was leaking. Hydrochloric acid is a highly corrosive and toxic liquid that can become a mist if it comes in contact with water. Inhaling hydrochloric acid vapors can cause coughing, choking, inflammation of the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract, and in severe cases, pulmonary edema, circulatory failure, and death. The vapors from hydrochloric acid can irritate and damage the eyes, and direct contact with the toxin can cause redness, pain, and severe skin burns.

Though no injuries were reported from the Clara City train derailment, about 400 people living on the west and north sides of town, as well as several outlying farms, were evacuated to the Bethany Reformed Church. Town officials said that it could be more than 6 hours before the Clara City train derailment evacuees would be able to return to their homes, and they were instructed to bring any pets and vital medications with them.

The Clara City train derailment also forced the closure of schools in the MacCray School District. That school district serves students in the towns of Clara City, Raymond and Maynard. District officials made the decision to close all schools after it was discovered that the chemical cloud created by the Clara City train derailment had headed in the direction of the high school parking lot in Clara City. That parking lot is used by school buses for picking up and dropping off students from several elementary schools. In addition, state highways 7 and 23 had to be closed because of the Clara City train derailment, making student transport difficult. October 29th, 2007, NewsInferno.com

20 years after Montana Rail Link took over track owned by Burlington Northern things have settled down  Funny thing about trains. They're too huge, too powerful, too romantic, too graceful and all too familiar to be of much interest these days.

Take the coal train puffing west from Big Timber the other day. Who cared that it was 125 cars long, and that at any one moment it occupied more than a mile and a quarter of track?

That three giant locomotives pulled the train, but they weren't going to be nearly enough after it cleared the yard in Livingston and approached Bozeman Hill?

That the two engineers in charge had to be off duty and on their way home by 7 p.m.?

Don Smith cared.

His domain is the nearly 1,000 miles of track controlled by Montana Rail Link. In the company's 20 years of existence, Smith has been a clerk in the Missoula yard, a dispatcher at headquarters off North Reserve Street and, since 1992, director of train movement.

"If it's happening within 4 feet of the rail, it's being funneled through this office," Smith said.

The process has changed substantially in 20 years. Gone are the handwritten train orders and hand-pulled yard switches.

These days, siding switches are remote controlled from the Missoula office, sometimes

350 miles or more away...

The Montana Rail Link era dawned bleak, long before the sun came up.

There were 15 to 18 trains running just after midnight on Oct. 31, 1987, when the line changed hands from Burlington Northern to the infant (and lower-paying) Montana Rail Link, one of a number of companies owned by Missoula industrialist Dennis Washington.

Pickets went up across the state as union demonstrators rallied against the BN spinoff. At 3 a.m., three engines in the Livingston rail yard were sent hurtling by vandals. They wrecked on Bozeman Hill at nearly 100 mph, costing BN some $3 million and launching an FBI investigation.

Helper engines in Helena were sabotaged.

Windows were broken at the yard office in Missoula, and by mid-day someone had released the brakes on six cars in Missoula. The rolling convoy was spotted and stopped.

Former Burlington Northern employees were slow to show up for work in face of protesters, who claimed the new line was a union-busting "puppet railroad" to BN.

"It's been some kind of weekend, but everything is running properly now," then-MRL president William Brodsky said the following Monday.

The storms weren't over. Derailments and communications snafus plagued the early years, most notably the cold winter day in 1989 when an unmanned MRL train rolled into Helena, collided with a work train near Carroll College, exploded and knocked out power to much of the city.

Other well-publicized disasters dotted the ensuing decades, including a devastating chlorine spill near Alberton in 1996 and a runaway train in 1997 that flew backward down the Clark Fork Valley from Garrison before a forced derailment east of Rock Creek near Bonita.

Still, MRL's legitimacy as an independent business was proved early on. Ron Dean, international vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, said as much in 1992.

"Prior to startup and after startup - for months and months - the criticism was just heaped on Montana Rail Link. Political pressure was used. Any opportunity to criticize them in the media was used. The critics have absolutely been proven wrong," said Dean.

Safety remains a hot-button issue. The public often hears about MRL only at times of accidents or incidents.

Company president Tom Walsh points to encouraging trends: Worker injuries are down 36 percent in 2007, and there were just four "reportable accidents" - damages totaling $8,200 or more - in the first nine months of the year.

That compared to 21 over the same period last year, and MRL is positioned to break its previous 12-month mark of 11 reportable accidents. Ocotber 28th, 2007, Missoulian.com

Investigation into cause of Painesville train derailment could take two years  PAINESVILLE -- There has been no official determination of the cause of a cargo train derailment that created a fire that burned for days and forced hundreds out of their homes for nearly a week.
Painesville fire officials say the cause of the derailment will be determined by the National Transportation Safety Board and that the final report could take up to two years to complete.

CSX is in the process of reimbursing municipalities for reasonable costs incurred during the disaster. Officials say the company has been very cooperative.

The 30 plus cars which derailed contained mostly ethanol, a hazardous flammable liquid, but considered non-toxic. There were also concerns about a tanker or propane-which had firefighter concerned about a potential explosion. Concerns over that tanker car extended the evacuation for those living closest to the tracks.

To date, the city of Painesville says it has been reimbursed for $134,000 for safety forces overtime, vehicle usage, supplies and other expenses. A total of 51 area fire departments responded to the disaster. To date, authorities say 20 have submitted bills for their expenses to CSX totaling $275,000. October 26th, 2007, WKYC.com

RUNAWAY CHLORINE CAR: Rail tanker escape reviewed  The runaway chlorine tanker that bisected Las Vegas on Aug. 29 has the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada looking at broader railroad safety issues.

At a Wednesday meeting, Director of Regulatory Operations Kirby Lampley suggested that the commission consider asking the Legislature to fund an additional railroad inspector position. The commission now has four.

A fifth inspector, Lampley said, could take up the responsibility of inspecting switches, which allow trains to change tracks, and crossing guards.
No action was taken on Lampley's suggestion because the commission agenda listed the tanker incident as a discussion item only.

The incident in Las Vegas involving a loaded tanker with the potential to set off Clark County's worst-case disaster scenario was set in motion by a switching mistake.

However, investigators for the commission found that it was human error, not mechanical failure, that began the near-disastrous chain of events.

That fact was a prominent one to Commissioner Sam Thompson, who wanted to know what measures have been taken to prevent human error from sending another runaway car shooting across Las Vegas.
"That type of human mistake could occur again," Thompson said.

Commission Manager of Safety and Quality Assurance Grant Siwinski outlined the new safety measures enacted by Union Pacific at the Arden train yard for Thompson.

All tracks exiting Arden to the north have been blocked by a braked anchor car. If a tanker escapes control of yard staff, Siwinski said, the runaway would not be able to roll free of the yard.
Communication also was a major issue during the 19-minute episode that saw the tanker travel 20 miles from south to north.

While yard staff immediately informed Union Pacific dispatch of the runaway car, police weren't contacted by the railroad company until about eight minutes into the incident.

Thompson asked whether railroad employees have been told to call local police immediately in emergency situations and Siwinski said yes. "The railroad understands that incidents like this need to be reported to local police," Siwinski said.

Commission investigators were the first ones to reach Arden yard after the tanker incident occurred. They are working together with the Federal Railroad Administration and Union Pacific on identifying how the tanker escaped yard control.

Siwinski said a final report has not yet been completed. He did say the conductor of the three-person crew handling the chlorine car took full responsibility for the incident because the conductor had failed to inspect and manually align the switch that would have kept the car from accessing a track that exited the yard.

Other errors also were made, Siwinski said. Miscommunication between the yard and Union Pacific dispatch in Omaha, Neb., also contributed to the escape of the tanker from the yard.

Better training and awareness of the regulations on the part of Union Pacific staff might have prevented the entire incident, Siwinski said.

The tanker incident and the potential of a chlorine gas leak sent shudders through municipal, county and federal leadership, whose members have worked with Union Pacific to revise safety and response protocols. In 2006, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Institute for Security Studies conducted a vulnerability assessment of the state and found that the most deadly disaster the state could face was a chlorine gas accident.

The report found that a massive leak could kill up to 91,000 people if a loaded tanker vented its contents in a densely populated area. October 25th, 2007, Congressman Joe Porter House.gov

Milltown sediment heads for Opportunity Ponds  MILLTOWN – The first load of the 2.2 million cubic yards of contaminated sediments to be excavated from the Milltown Reservoir Superfund Site rolled away Tuesday afternoon.

In 28 brand-spanking-new shiny black railcars, nearly 3,000 tons of the arsenic- and copper-laden material headed southeast to its new home at Opportunity Ponds near Anaconda.
The trainload marked another milestone in the cleanup of Milltown Reservoir.

“It’s a big day for us,” said Matt Fein, Envirocon’s senior project engineer.

Over the next two years, an estimated 30,000 railcar loads of sediment will follow the same route to the expansive Atlantic Richfield Co.’s Opportunity Ponds mine waste repository.

“There will be one train a day with between 45 and 55 cars running seven days a week, with the exception of a few holidays,” said Fein. “Each car will carry just a little over 100 tons of material.”

Since January, Envirocon has stockpiled about 450,000 cubic yards of sediment excavated from the huge bypass channel that will reroute the Clark Fork River sometime this winter. It’s enough to keep the trains running for about six months.

On Tuesday, large loaders were busy scooping up the jet black soil from the towering 20-foot tall windrows stacked neatly on the delta just upstream from Milltown Dam into the waiting railcars.

The plan calls for spreading the material about 2 feet deep over hundreds of acres at the Opportunity Ponds – where it will act as a cap for toxic mine wastes stored at the site. The soils at the facility are so contaminated with heavy metals that weeds won’t even sprout.
While co