Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star: Spanberger seeks more details on Fredericksburg train derailment

FREDERICKSBURG FREE LANCE-STAR, SCOTT SHENK

CSX officials held an informational meeting in Fredericksburg Wednesday regarding the weekend train derailment that damaged four garages at the Cobblestone Apartments, but 7th District Rep. Abigail Spanberger wants more details.

The congresswoman, who is running to become Virginia’s next governor, sent a letter to CSX president and CEO Joseph Hinrichs asking for more answers and how the company will “rebuild trust,” her office said in a statement Thursday.

“The magnitude of this event—and potential for an even more devastating outcome—has shaken our neighbors, and it is imperative that we address the underlying issues with urgency and transparency,” Spanberger said in the statement.

The congresswoman’s office said she “pressed the company to further explain the failures which allowed this incident to occur near several residences and share their incident report with the City of Fredericksburg and the public more broadly.”

Spanberger also asked for locations of other split-rail devices in Virginia.

The safety device played a role in Saturday night’s derailment of rail cars that were parked on a side storage track.

The rail cars were improperly tied down by crew members and eventually rolled down the yard tracks toward the mainline. When the cars reached the split-rail device the safety mechanism worked as designed by sending them off the tracks in order to prevent the cars from reaching the mainline tracks.

Unfortunately, the apartment complex sound wall was built too close to the tracks. In turn, the train cars fell into the wall, sending the structure crashing onto the garages, flattening one. No injuries were reported.

Spanberger also asked CSX to provide a timeline for the company to inspect the split-rail devices and identify how close they are to residences. She also “pressed CSX to outline their plan to prevent similar derailments in the future.”

The congresswoman noted another CSX train derailment Monday in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Having two derailments just days apart “raises pressing concerns about the effectiveness and reliability of CSX’s rail safety measures and protocols,” Spanberger said. “The troubling pattern of incidents underscores the urgent need for a thorough and immediate review, coupled with substantive improvements, to ensure the safety and security of all communities along CSX rail lines.”