April 11th, 1996 Alberton, Montana:

• At approximately 4:00 am on the morning of April 11th, 1996, 18 of 72 rail cars left the trackson a Montana Rail Link east-bound mixed freight train less than two miles upwind of Alberton, Montana, releasing three hazardous materials:

• 68 tons of spent potassium cresylate,64.8 tons of chlorine,  and 85 pounds of dry sodium chlorate prills, total 133 tons of toxic waste.

• An initial “hot zone” of 72 square miles resulted in over 1,200 people evacuating from their homes, 352 people were treated at local hospitals, and one man died from exposure to toxic fumes.

• The evacuation lasted for nearly two weeks, closing traffic on I-90 for 17 days.

Chemical Matrix

Symptom List

Tenth Anniversary Editorial By ACCERT, A Tough Trip Through Paradise.

The Press

On the Right Track Alberton victims finally get their say. But who will heed their message? They came this weekend bearing heart-wrenching stories, nearly a hundred people whose lives were suddenly and irrevocably altered in the early morning hours of April 11, 1996 when a Montana Rail Link train derailed near Alberton, spilling close to 133 tons of mixed chemicals. That accident created a toxic plume that forced the evacuation of about 1,200 people for three weeks, sending more than 300 people to local hospitals and taking the life of a homeless man. To date, many of these victims have never returned to their homes or businesses or been adequately compensated for their losses.  Missoula Independent

Alberton residents: In it for the long haul by Lucinda Hodges, 9th anniversary article. It is hard to believe it has been nine years since the 1996 Montana Rail Link toxic train derailment, which spilled 133 tons of chemicals into the local air, soil, and water. I can still remember Mr. Bill Brodsky, then the president of Montana Rail Link, standing before a crowd of TV cameras and evacuees stating,  "We’re going to be with you for the long haul--five years, ten years, whatever it takes." Then there was Mr. Randal Little of Railway Claims assuring us, “Every dime that you lose will be taken care of." Clark Fork Chronicle

NTSB Railroad Accident Brief Report PDF format for Alberton, Montana About 514 feet of rail was dislocated in the derailment. Approximately 444
feet of that total were recovered. Rail sections believed to have been located on
the outside of the curve at the point of derailment exhibited gage and head wear.
Additionally, a portion of rail recovered from the accident site displayed evidence
of a vertical split head. 

Hopes Derailed Five years after the Alberton chemical spill, victims are still struggling for answers. Will they ever find them?   Five years have passed since that rainy morning of April 11, 1996 when a Montana Rail Link (MRL) train jumped the tracks two miles west of Alberton, derailing 18 cars and releasing 133 tons of toxic chemicals into the environment. The accident forced the evacuation of about 1,200 people for three weeks, sent more than 300 people to the hospital and immediately took the life of one homeless man who was aboard the train.  Missoula Independent

Alberton looks back at spill  by Ron Scholl  It’s been nine years since the April 11, 1996, Alberton train derailment sidetracked the lives of many people by various degrees as a cloud of poison spread through the Clark Fork Valley. What lessons have we taken away from that frightening experience? The lethal derailment ninety days past in Graniteville, South Carolina, reminds us that toxic catastrophes will continue to happen and we’d best pay attention to how they unfold to help mitigate the consequences. Clark Fork Chronicle

“EPA, Please Hold...” Has Washington politics derailed the Alberton spill investigation?   Has Washington politics derailed the Alberton spill investigation? An air of nervous anticipation hangs heavily over the room in Missoula’s Boone and Crockett Club on a gray Saturday morning in early November. About 100 Alberton residents are gathered for their first opportunity to tell their stories on the record of how an April 1996 Montana Rail Link train derailment and mixed chemical spill changed their lives irrevocably. The magnitude of their stories and their expectations for these official proceedings can be measured by the stockpile of provisions laid out for the long day ahead: coffee urns, stacks of bagels, trays of cold cuts and a sheet cake that read, “Thank you and welcome, Bob Martin and staff.” Missoula Independent

Ombudsman Martin initiated an investigation more than a year ago upon the request of numerous citizens and Senator Max Baucus. Since that time the Ombudsman has made several field visits to Alberton, MT.  His willingness to take shots from all sides in the interest of pursuing environmental justice makes him a national treasure."