West Virginia train derailment leaks diesel and oil

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

A train derailment in West Virginia on Wednesday resulted in an "unknown" amount of diesel fuel and oil being released into a portion of one of North America's oldest rivers that's also part of the National Park Service. CSX, a freight train supplier, said the train derailed in Sandstone after it "struck a rockslide."

CSX said in a press release Wednesday that the coal train was empty at the time of the incident, which happened at around 4:51 a.m. All four of the train's locomotives and nine empty coal cars derailed, the company said, citing preliminary information. According to West Virginia Emergency Management, it happened about half a mile from the end of a paved road in a "somewhat remote" area.

Three crew members who were in the lead locomotive at the time — a conductor, engineer and engineer trainee — were "evaluated and treated for non-life threatening injuries" after that locomotive caught fire, the company said. CSX said there is no danger to the public and that no hazardous materials were on the train.

West Virginia Emergency Management said downstream public water systems were notified of what happened and that monitoring for "potential public health impacts" is ongoing. West Virginia American Water has been monitoring the water quality and said it has temporarily stopped drawing water from the New River and will "enhance its treatment processes, as necessary."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/west-virginia-train-derailment-leaks-diesel-oil-new-river-national-park/

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Full headline: West Virginia train derailment leaks diesel and oil into one of North America's oldest and federally protected rivers

[Marthe48]

1. Thanks for posting

n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

2. I had no idea that this had happened

until I stumbled on CBS News' website.



That looks bad enough to basically kill that set of tracks.

[peppertree]

3. Bidness as usual in Jim Justice's Wes-ginia

Bribes and all.

[Marthe48]

5. I saw the headline late

maybe 2 nights ago. I meant to look for an article, but didn't. And of course, forgot when I woke up. It is a shame. Thoughts have crossed my mind, but I'll stick with no profits used for upkeep and maintenance

[BumRushDaShow]

7. It just happened yesterday morning before 5 am ET

There was another derailment in Springfield OH over the past weekend that you might be thinking of - https://www.npr.org/2023/03/09/1161921856/there-are-about-3-u-s-train-derailments-per-day-they-arent-usually-major-disaste

There was apparently another in Oklahoma too - https://www.kosu.org/local-news/2023-03-09/no-danger-to-the-public-after-train-derails-in-northeast-oklahoma

[Marthe48]

8. Just got the day wrong

I go to bed dazed and confused, wake up the same. Ty for setting me right!

[BumRushDaShow]

9. It's not just you!!

[Marthe48]

10. lol I know

My friend and I agree that days don't feel like they are supposed to--Today feels like Monday, most days feel like Tuesday, sure doesn't help!

[BumRushDaShow]

12. I know I'm completely off since I retired

And don't put a "holiday" in there when some places are closed or have changed hours. I have had to do certain "tasks" specifically tied to weekends so I know that the weekdays are not weekends and vice versa!

[Marthe48]

14. I'm retired

but still help with grand kids and dogs. My daughter and s-i-l have very flexible schedules, so some weeks, they don't need me. But other weeks, they need me several days, but usually not in a row. If I have a day they don't need me, it feels like Sunday. And busy with my own stuff. I hear Nature abhors a vacuum, wow, that's true! And I hear you about the holidays. lol

[Bleacher Creature]

4. Good thing the Trump administration weakened rules designed to prevent this from happening. NT

[bluestarone]

6. Waiting for Manchin to give the ALL CLEAR!

All is good! (yea, right)

[slightlv]

11. What's the solution?

Stop all trains carrying hazardous materials until upgrades are made? How would that affect us in the short term? Is carrying it over in trucks over the highways any safer (something tells me it ain't). But gods, what it's doing to our riverways hurts my heart.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. I think one of the biggest issues brought up

was the train lengths. Apparently the railroads have increased the number of connected train cars being hauled by almost 25%, so having that pounding over a stretch of rail may have the affect of overheating them during certain times of the year.

GAO had a report in 2019 on this - https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-19-443

Fast Facts

Freight trains have been getting longer—nearly 3 miles in some cases. This has raised concerns that trains may block traffic more often at road-crossings, impeding emergency responders and prompting unsafe pedestrian behavior (such as climbing through stopped trains). Braking and other operations can also be more complex for these longer trains.

The Federal Railroad Administration is studying potential safety risks and the best ways to operate longer trains.

We recommended that FRA broadly share its research results, and work with railroads and state and local officials on ways to solve road-crossing issues.

You also have something that was brought up about modernizing temperature sensors installed along routes, as well as the sensors on the trains, in order to provide hazard signaling to operators before it gets to a point of no return. Apparently the current sensor equipment is prone to false negatives and false positives.

This is why there are hearings - not just to lecture the CEO but to look at the gaps in the regulations and even have an opportunity in the future to bring in some experts to describe some possible solutions.

[Blues Heron]

15. So how old is the New river?

[BumRushDaShow]

16. 65,000,000 years old!

(snip)

The New River is considered one of the oldest rivers in North America. According to the National Park Service, it's widely believed that the waterway "has been in its present course for at least 65 million years." It once ran through Central Ohio, Indiana and Illinois before going into the Mississippi, but much of it got diverted about 10,000 years ago when it was impacted by glacial ice, the service said.

(snip)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/west-virginia-train-derailment-leaks-diesel-oil-new-river-national-park/

[Blues Heron]

17. Thanks!

(guess I could have clicked the link!) appreciate it.
That is indeed old!

like the song says -
It just keeps on flowing, it dont worry bout where its going no no!

[BumRushDaShow]

18. One would think that it would be promoted more

at least outside of the area where it flows but alas...

[IronLionZion]

19. There are too many train derailments happening too quickly

it's time for some safety regulations, inspections, something needs to change here.

[Zeitghost]

21. There are something like

~1500 a year, every year. I don't believe there has been any kind of statistically significant increases lately but I have not done a deep dive.

Derailments are the hot news item of the day after the disaster in East Palestine so the media will run with it for awhile until something else takes its place and then you won't hear about derailments on the national stage for years if not decades.


This is not to say we can't make improvements to our rail system. But derailments have always been and will always be an issue and any system put in place to eliminate them would make rail travel impossible.

[IronLionZion]

22. There have been posts about deregulation and inspections and other safety measures

I don't know enough about the issue but have noticed a lot of media attention lately.

[Bayard]

20. These recent events are making us a little nervous here

We have tracks that run fairly close to our place, and often see them hauling tanker cars. Gawd knows what's in them.