HYNDMAN, Pa. — First responders are keeping residents away from a blaze from a derailed CSX Transportation freight train Wednesday morning.
An eastbound CSX Transportation freight train derailed just west Hyndman, between Bedford, Pa., and Cumberland, Md., early Wednesday morning causing a fire and local evacuations, the Associated Press Reports. The incident happened around 5 a.m. near Hyndman, about 18 miles west of Cumberland, Md., on CSX’s Keystone Subdivision. The derailment is on the railroad’s ex-Baltimore & Ohio mainline and occurred at the east end of Sandpatch grade as the train was descending the famed route.
According to first responders cited in the AP story, approximately six cars derailed and a residential car garage was damaged in the incident. The general merchandise freight train included some cars carrying flammable liquid asphalt, but it was unknown if those cars were the ones involved in the fire.
The fire was still burning several hours after the initial derailment. As a result of the derailment, firefighters and police have evacuated several homes in Hyndman.
CSX representative Rob Doolittle confirms that at least 32 railcars derailed, some of which contain hazardous materials. At least one of railcar containing liquified petroleum gas and another car containing molten sulphur have leaked and are on fire. The railroad is sending hazardous materials teams to work alongside first responders to better assess the scope of the damage. The eastbound train consisted of five locomotives and 178 railcars, including 128 loads and 50 empties. The freight train, which was headed to Selkirk, N.Y., from Chicago, was carrying construction materials, paper and wood pulp, and other hazardous materials.
The Hyndman Fire Department has issued an evacuation of everyone within a half mile of the site. The railroad is currently working to get resources to residents who are impacted by the derailment.
No injuries have been reported. Video submitted by MP208.
This is a good metaphor for paying the $84 large to E Hurricane who has crashed & burned to
Mr. Snorteland, you took the words out of my mouth :-).
Sending a train up & over the mountains and then through Baltimore, Philly, & north Jersey in preference to the Water Level Route east of Cleveland–this is supposed to *reduce* operating expenses?
Time to fire EHH and replace him on Jan 1 2018 with Wick Moreland, Wonder what that would do to the stock? Wick could find a new leader for that depressing company, and it would not be Ms. Sandborn.
So it appears CSX is just one more corporation that is more interested in the shareholder that the “nuts and bolts” of their operations.
Preliminary report in Wash Post was that two of the five units were “not operating”. i.e. either off line or isolated, therefore no dynamics. Great economy measure by EHH: max train length, minimum power.
Good ole Hunter, putting the crash, spill, and explode back into CSX. I mean really, it doesn’t take a genius to see that this train was a bad idea. Of course it will be blamed on bad train handling.
EHH & the sledge fund that put him in charge should be sued by the disgruntled shippers, the people effected by this accident (and those to come) and the employees that have been terrorized by “precision railroading”. Ego alone doesn’t run a railroad. EHH blames the ones who were running the railroad successfully for the interruptions and bumps in the road. i am sure he will do the same with this. I hope the investors see this and dump him now.
Hard to believe he wants to single-track the water level route. If true, maybe it’s a ploy to get Amtrak to buy the route or pay to keep it double tracked.
178 Car Train, R you people NUTS? They should fire EHH for pulling a stunt like this. its not the train crews or dispatchers to blame, you need to go wright to the TOP!
Mr. Nichols: RIGHT ON!!
When BCOL came under EHH’s control they started mega trains there too. Results were much like this derailment.
I hope it wasn’t due to coming down the hill from Sand Patch without a rear end helper for braking…………
Guess the crew was being paid by the mile.
Chicago, IL to Selkirk, NY via Cumberland, MD? Shouldn’t it have been on the Water Level Route east of Cleveland, OH? Is this part of the EHH plan?
Chicago to Selkirk, NY via Cumberland, MD. Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot!
Jim Norton I was thinking the same thing. 2 trains and 2 crews are a LOT less expensive than a derailment.
They didn’t learn from the runaway coal train in the winter of 2010…why? because no one is around with any experience from CSX! They were all fired. Wait until the winter time and if they keep this stuff up.
Why would anyone want to single track the water level route with the amount of traffic there. Not even EHH could be that stupid, could he?
CSX is doing a study to see if they can single track the Water Level Route and send more over Sand Patch. I guess they got their answer.
Wow 178 cars. Have to wonder if two 89 car freights would have been a better way to carry hazardous loads?
178 cars of mixed freight on one of the toughest grades, what could happen right??