About 4:42 a.m. on March 22, 1983, 13 cars (3 tank cars and 10 boxcars) of Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Company train SML-4-21, 1st No. 64, engine 702, derailed in a 2 degree left curve at Fort Knox, Kentucky, while moving about 28 mph over an excessively worn, badly shelled rail which tipped and broke. During the derailment, two tank cars containing chloroprene overturned, and chloroprene began leaking from a dome valve of one of the cars. About 9:45 a.m., the leak was stopped. Evacuation of the area was not necessary. There were no injuries as a result of the accident. Damage was estimated at $199,831. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the tipping and breaking of an excessively worn, badly shelled curve rail at a point weakened by a detail fracture when it was subjected to normal outward lateral forces. Contributing to the tipping and breaking of the rail were the poorly maintained irregular cross level track and the absence of superelevation of the track on the 2 degree curve. Also contributing to the accident was the failure of the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad management to monitor adequately its track maintenance program and to effectively enforce inspection and maintenance procedures.


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    Title :

    Railroad Accident Report - Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Company Freight Train Derailment, Fort Knox, Kentucky, March 22, 1983


    Publication date :

    1983


    Size :

    38 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English