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Derailments

Train accidents in which the train derails from the tracks

Dump truck hit by train at unguarded railroad crossing

Posted Tue, 07/21/2009 - 17:36

A Montgomery, Alabama dump truck was hit by a CSX freight train at 8 AM on Saturday. The driver, Jackie Carroll Kemp Jr. was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries reported. The CSX operator was uninjured, although the train itself did derail. Fortunately, none of the hazardous materials being transported by the train were spilled.

Former NTSB chairman discusses fault for Metro tragedy

Posted Mon, 07/06/2009 - 16:52

The tragic event in Washington D.C which took the lives of 9 respected citizens and injured 80 others has spawned much discussion over issues of rail safety and fault. One issue in particular which has aroused the public's curiosity (and indignation) is the fact that the NTSB recommended that Metro scrap its outdated cars - cars which include the train which derailed, killing so many - years before the tragedy. Metro did not act, and the public is left wondering why exactly a government agency with an annual budget of $10.3 billion makes safety recommendations which are not enforced.

D.C. Metro crash: malfunctioning circuit?

Posted Wed, 06/24/2009 - 17:22

The investigation into the Metro crash on Monday which killed 9 and injured 80 is still in its early stages, but certain clues are being found. Investigators now think that the train operator did apply an emergency brake approximately 400 feet prior to impact. Officials are investigating why the operator did not already know a train was stopped ahead. One of six circuits in the area around the crash which would alert the operator of track information such as upcoming trains and appropriate speeds seems to be functioning improperly. More investigation is underway.

Tragedy in D.C. - Derailment kills 9

Posted Tue, 06/23/2009 - 16:38

A tragic crash occurred yesterday as a Metro passenger train in Washington, D.C. ran into another train at high speeds. As of now, substantial facts are of yet to be reported - the rail cars were not outfitted with recording technology which would have recorded the speed of the train and any mechanical failures. For now, however, officials do not think that mechanical failure was the problem. The rear train rammed full speed into a stopped train in between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations in D.C.

Court allows suit over North Dakota train derailment

Posted Tue, 05/19/2009 - 11:31

Canadian Pacific Railway's attempt to block a lawsuit was denied by the Supreme Court. Residents of Minot, ND are filing the lawsuit against CP, whose train derailed in 2002 and released toxic anhydrous ammonia farm fertilizer into the air over the city. The toxic fumes killed one local man and caused damage to several other residents.

In 2006, a U.S district judge ruled that federal law protected CP from any claims that might arise from the derailment. However, the federal law changed the same year. Now, the Supreme Court has denied that CP is protected.