Congresswoman: “This is Not the First Time the Fredericksburg Community Has Faced Challenges or That Residents Have Expressed Concerns Related to Rail Operations”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today pressed the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to conduct a thorough incident review and evaluation of regional rail infrastructure after a freight train derailed and damaged homes in Fredericksburg, Virginia in Virginia’s Seventh District.

On the evening of July 20, 2024, five cars from a CSX Transportation freight train derailed, flattened one building, and caused significant damage to a residential complex and Virginians’ personal property. Last week, Spanberger joined leaders from the City of Fredericksburg at the site of last month’s derailment and visited the nearby CSX rail yard in Fredericksburg’s Mayfield neighborhood. Spanberger, local officials, and community members discussed CSX’s response in the weeks since the incident and the community’s longstanding safety concerns regarding the Mayfield rail yard — including the proximity of the main rail line to homes on Railroad Avenue and the storage of rail tanker cars containing hazardous and flammable materials for unspecified periods of time.

In a letter sent to Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration Amit Bose, Spanberger urged the FRA to both conduct an incident review of the CSX derailment and broadly evaluate rail infrastructure, safety protocols, and the proximity of rail lines to residential areas across the Fredericksburg region. Additionally, the Congresswoman emphasized the safety and environmental concerns expressed to her by residents — and the community’s heightened concerns in the wake of last month’s derailment. Spanberger also underscored the need for the FRA to work closely with the City of Fredericksburg and local officials throughout an evaluation of the region’s railway operations.

“Given the July 20 derailment involved runaway cars and resulted in property damage to residents’ garages, the FRA should initiate an investigation into the derailment to guarantee that a similar incident does not occur again,” said Spanberger. “Additionally, it is important to note that this is not the first time the Fredericksburg community has faced challenges or that residents have expressed concerns related to rail operations in the city. Residents of the city’s Mayfield neighborhood have long been vocal about the safety and environmental impact of CSX’s rail operations — specifically the risks involved in shipping and storing hazardous products in tanker cars close to the neighborhood for extended periods of time, as well as the proximity of rail lines to their homes.”

Spanberger continued, “Fredericksburg residents deserve to feel safe in their homes. These longstanding concerns, coupled with last month’s derailment, require a holistic audit of the area to determine existing risks before another incident occurs and provide recommendations for necessary improvements to enhance the overall safety of railway operations in Fredericksburg.”

Click here to read the letter, and the full letter text is below.

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Dear Administrator Bose,

On July 20, 2024, a CSX Transportation train derailed in Fredericksburg, Virginia. According to CSX, this derailment occurred due to a runaway CSX rail car which was improperly secured. The derailment reportedly occurred when the runaway car hit a split-point derail device, and as a result the train car destroyed a sound wall and residential garages at Cobblestone Square apartments. This incident, coupled with longstanding concerns among community members about CSX operations in the area, has caused serious unease for families living in Fredericksburg. Accordingly, I am writing to you to build upon the City of Fredericksburg’s calls for a more thorough investigation into last month’s derailment and request that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) conduct an incident review of the CSX freight train derailment, as well as an audit of rail operations in the city.

Last week, I visited the site of the derailment. During my visit, I spoke with local officials about the incident, the impact on the Fredericksburg community, how to prevent a similar derailment in the future, and longstanding concerns among community members about CSX’s operations in the area. The scale of this event — and the potential for a worst-case, deadly scenario — has shaken our neighbors, and we must take every step to provide accountability, safety, and peace of mind for the Fredericksburg community.

I understand that your Administration generally investigates incidents involving runaway equipment and derailments of a large number of cars that cause extensive property damage. Given the July 20 derailment involved runaway cars and resulted in property damage to residents’ garages, the FRA should initiate an investigation into the derailment to guarantee that a similar incident does not occur again.

Additionally, it is important to note that this is not the first time the Fredericksburg community has faced challenges or that residents have expressed concerns related to rail operations in the city. Residents of the city’s Mayfield neighborhood have long been vocal about the safety and environmental impact of CSX’s rail operations — specifically the risks involved in shipping and storing hazardous products in tanker cars close to the neighborhood for extended periods of time, as well as the proximity of rail lines to their homes. In 2021, the Fredericksburg City Council unanimously passed a resolution objecting to CSX’s practice of storing tanker cars with hazardous materials in the town and demanding that CSX discontinue the practice. While there has been a significant reduction in the presence of hazardous tanker cars in the neighborhood since fall 2022, city officials have indicated that CSX has made no guarantee to permanently discontinue the storage of these tanker cars in Mayfield.

Since the incident on July 20, these concerns have only intensified. Accordingly, in addition to the incident investigation, I also urge the FRA to broadly evaluate rail infrastructure, safety protocols, and the proximity of rail lines to residential areas in the Fredericksburg region. Fredericksburg residents deserve to feel safe in their homes. These longstanding concerns, coupled with last month’s derailment, require a holistic audit of the area to determine existing risks before another incident occurs and provide recommendations for necessary improvements to enhance the overall safety of railway operations in Fredericksburg. The FRA’s objective and thorough examination is vital to provide much-needed clarity and certainty to the community.

Lastly, it is vitally important that the FRA work directly with the City of Fredericksburg — which has raised concerns regarding CSX’s operations and the need for an independent investigation — to understand the impact of this derailment and the historical context of rail challenges in the region. The hardworking Virginians who serve the Fredericksburg community, serve neighboring localities, and call this region home are an invaluable resource.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your response.

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