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Accident Report NTSB/RAR-20/04, PB2020-101012

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Accident Report NTSB/RAR-20/04, PB2020-101012 CSX Train Derailment with Hazardous Materials Release Hyndman, Pennsylvania August 2, 2017 Accident Report NTSB/RAR-20/04 National PB2020-101012 Transportation Safety Board NTSB/RAR-20/04 PB2020-101012 Notation 65381 Adopted November 23, 2020 Railroad Accident Report CSX Train Derailment with Hazardous Materials Release Hyndman, Pennsylvania August 2, 2017 National Transportation Safety Board 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20594 National Transportation Safety Board. 2020. CSX Train Derailment with Hazardous Materials Release, Hyndman, Pennsylvania, August 2, 2017. NTSB/RAR-20/04. Washington, DC: NTSB. Abstract: On August 2, 2017, at 4:54 a.m., local time, 33 rail cars on CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSX) train Q38831 derailed in Hyndman Borough, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The train consisted of 5 locomotives and a total of 178 cars (128 loaded and 50 empty), including derailed cars 53 through 65. Three derailed tank cars containing hazardous materials were breached, resulting in a fire. Three homes were damaged by the derailment and subsequent fire. There was no loss of life or injuries. A 1-mile radius evacuation zone was established, which affected about 1,000 residents, and several highway-railroad grade crossings were closed. The evacuation was lifted about 12:00 p.m. on August 5. CSX reported $1.8 million in damages for the derailed equipment and $60,000 in damages to the track structure. Investigators determined that the probable cause of the accident was the inappropriate use of hand brakes on empty rail cars to control train speed and the placement of blocks of empty rail cars at the front of the train consist, leading to elevated longitudinal forces and increased lateral forces at the wheel-rail interface at the curve in the rail on the leading 42 cars combined with tread buildup on the 35th car, which was the first to derail. Contributing to the derailment were CSX operating practices that accepted the use of hand brakes on empty rail cars to control train speed and allowed blocks of empty rail cars to be placed at the front of the train consist The investigators focused on the safety issues of CSX operational practices for building train consists, use of hand brakes to control train movement, and assessment and response to fires involving jacketed tank cars. As a result of the investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board makes one safety recommendation to the Federal Railroad Administration, three recommendations to CSX, one recommendation to the American Association of Railroads, and one recommendation to the Security and Emergency Response Training Center. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, highway, marine, and pipeline safety. Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974, to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The NTSB makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, and statistical reviews. The NTSB does not assign fault or blame for an accident or incident; rather, as specified by NTSB regulation, “accident/incident investigations are fact-finding proceedings with no formal issues and no adverse parties … and are not conducted for the purpose of determining the rights or liabilities of any person” (Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 831.4). Assignment of fault or legal liability is not relevant to the NTSB’s statutory mission to improve transportation safety by investigating accidents and incidents and issuing safety recommendations. In addition, statutory language prohibits the admission into evidence or use of any part of an NTSB report related to an accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report (Title 49 United States Code section 1154(b)). For more detailed background information on this report, visit the NTSB investigations website and search for NTSB accident ID DCA17FR011. Recent publications are available in their entirety on the NTSB website. Other information about available publications also may be obtained from the website or by contacting— National Transportation Safety Board Records Management Division, CIO-40 490 L’Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20594 (800) 877-6799 or (202) 314-6551 Copies of NTSB publications may be downloaded at no cost from the National Technical Information Service, at the National Technical Reports Library search page, using product number PB2020-101012. For additional assistance, contact— National Technical Information Service 5301 Shawnee Rd. Alexandria, VA 22312 (800) 553-6847 or (703) 605-6000 NTIS website NTSB Railroad Accident Report Contents Figures ........................................................................................................................................... iii Tables ............................................................................................................................................ iv Abbreviations and Acronyms ...................................................................................................... v Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... vii Accident Summary........................................................................................................................ vii Probable Cause.............................................................................................................................. vii Safety Issues.................................................................................................................................. vii Findings........................................................................................................................................ viii Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... ix 1.Factual Information ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Accident Description ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 The Accident ............................................................................................................................. 3 Train Q38831 ................................................................................................................ 3 Train Operations Prior to Derailment ........................................................................... 4 1.3 Emergency Response ................................................................................................................ 5 1.4 Operational Factors ................................................................................................................... 9 First Crew...................................................................................................................... 9 Relief Crew ................................................................................................................. 10 1.5 Mechanical Factors ................................................................................................................. 11 Locomotives ................................................................................................................ 11 Rail Cars...................................................................................................................... 11 1.6 Track Factors .......................................................................................................................... 14 General Characteristics ............................................................................................... 14 Postaccident Track Investigation ................................................................................ 15 1.7 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................... 17 Molten Asphalt Tank Car............................................................................................ 18 Molten Sulfur Tank Car .............................................................................................. 19 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Tank Car ............................................................................ 20 1.8 Supplementary Information .................................................................................................... 24 Emergency Response Guidance Involving LPG/Propane .......................................... 24 Previous NTSB Investigation of LPG Tank Car Delayed Rupture ............................ 26 2.Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 28 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 28 Exclusions ................................................................................................................... 28 Safety Issues...............................................................................................................
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