On January 15, 2007, about 11:12 a.m. eastern standard time (EST), a CSX Transportation Inc. (CSX) Road Switcher Train C70315 was switching at Patio Yard in Winchester, Kentucky (KY) at milepost (MP) 0WI 208.0 and lost control of four loaded railcars. The four railcars, one of which contained (Butyl Acetate), rolled uncontrolled southbound onto the EK Subdivision for a distance of about 22.8 miles. The four railcars reached a speed of 35 miles per hour (mph), as indicated by an equipment defect detector at MP 0WI 227.2, until impacting the locomotives of Train N25214. Train N25214 was traversing northbound toward Patio Yard on the EK Subdivision. The crew members of Train N25214 had separated the two locomotives from the rest of the freight cars, operated the locomotives a distance of 0.8 of a mile and stopped. They abandoned the locomotives three or four minutes before the runaway cars struck the equipment. The collision and resulting fire caused the total destruction of the leading tank car and the leading locomotive, which had been positioned and then abandoned by the crew of Train N25214. There was extensive damage to the second locomotive of Train N25214 and the three remaining covered hopper cars. Total equipment damage is estimated at more than $2,581,630 and $15,000 for track damage. The lead railcar derailed on impact, the loaded tank car of Butyl Acetate and the fuel tanks of the lead locomotive ruptured and ignited. This caused a significant inhalation hazard causing an evacuation for about 12 mile from the accident site. The collision affected a small industrial operation and about 20 homes, totaling 80 people. The only reported injury was a sprained ankle on the conductor of Train C70315 when he attempted to apply handbrakes on the rolling railcars at Patio Yard. The weather at the time of the accident was intermittent rain, 60F with good visibility. The cause of the accident was the failure of the conductor of Train C70315 to properly secure equipment left standing with a sufficient number of hand brakes.


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    Title :

    Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Headquarters Assigned Accident Investigation Report HQ-2007-02, CSX Transportation (CSX), Calla, Kentucky, January 15, 2007


    Publication date :

    2007


    Size :

    8 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English