Video by Michelle Madding, via Facebook
INDIANAPOLIS — CSX Transportation and local officials are expected to look into the what caused a fire at the railroad’s yard in Avon, Ind., near Indianapolis, Wednesday evening.
Multiple media outlets report that a fire was reported in CSX’s Avon Yard at about 9 p.m. Wednesday. Local fire departments responded and quickly extinguished the fire.
WISH-TV, Indianapolis’ CW affiliate, reports that there were no injuries and that three locomotives were involved.
The station quotes a CSX representative saying that two locomotives derailed in the yard, spilled fuel, and caught fire.
In a statement released to Trains, a CSX representative said that CSX employees reported that two locomotives had derailed and caught fire on Wednesday.
“The locomotives spilled an unknown quantity of diesel fuel that caught fire within the yard. Marion County Fire Department responded to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire. The locomotives are upright, in line and the fuel spill has been contained,” the statement read, in part. “There are no injuries, no safety risk to the public and no waterways impacted. CSX appreciates the swift response of the local fire department and are working to develop a recovery plan.”
UPDATE: CSX Transportation statement. July 11, 2019, 4:43 p.m. Central time.
With today’s large fuel tanks, one would think at least one of the railwayu equipment suppliers would have developed a fire suppression system for each locomotive, both passive and active. Surely there is enough cab space to house a foam unit and some hose and fixed pipe.
Gerald McFarlane, YES THEY ARE MORE DANGEROUS! Ask the carman that was run over on CSX in Ohio a month or two ago. No eyes on board and they just keep going. Ran remotes for over 6 years and didn’t like it one bit. Gimme a decent engineer any day and we’ll switch more cars quicker…and the engineer can stop when it sees a mistake.
Justin Fowler, remote locomotives are no more dangerous than manned locomotives, they can both still derail.
Remote locomotives are dangerous. Enough said.
oops
Here’s a link from a local TV station, including a statement from CSX:
https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/3-locomotives-catch-fire-at-csx-avon-railyard/
So minor, it didn’t even make the local papers. Only the “bleed and lead” TV news caught it.