On May 29, 2007, at 12:43 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) a CSX Transportation (CSX) northbound freight Train Q57229 derailed 26 cars. The main derailment occurred at milepost (MP) 578.9 on the M&M Subdivision of the Atlanta Division near Castleberry, Alabama (AL). Involved in the derailment were eight loaded tank cars with hazardous material of Phenol and Acetone. During the derailment, three of the tank cars were damaged resulting in a release of their product. The hazardous material release caused an evacuation of 75 residents from Castleberry and 380 persons in surrounding businesses. The initial point of derailment occurred at MP 579.3 with wheel marks on the crossties. These wheel marks continued to MP 578.9 where the main derailment occurred. After the uninitiated emergency application of the trains air brakes, the first derailed car (NYC 587901) separated from the trailing derailed cars and remained coupled to the head eight cars and locomotives coming to rest at MP 578.1. There were no casualties or injuries of railroad personnel as a result of the derailment. An unauthorized Alabama Highway Department employee who entered the restricted area was sprayed with Phenol and during the re-railing operations an environmental recovery employee was sprayed with Phenol. They were taken to a local hospital for chemical burns and released. The estimated damage for the track is $65,000 and the equipment is $803,699. At the time of the derailment, it was daylight, clear, and 80F. The probable cause of the derailment was the car body center plate disengaged from the truck bolster on the 9th car, NYC 587901. This resulted in the car being off-center with the car body riding on the truck bolster causing uneven weight distribution to the wheels which caused wheel lift. A contributing factor may have been the possibility of the absence of the center pin, which would have helped in keeping the car body center plate in its proper position.


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    Title :

    Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Headquarters Assigned Accident Investigation Report HQ-2007-32, CSX Transportation (CSX), Castleberry, Alabama, May 31, 2007


    Publication date :

    2007


    Size :

    15 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English