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More details emerge regarding Hickman County train derailment
UPDATE TUESDAY:More details and plans have emerged involving the derailed Canadian National freight train in Hickman County.
Hickman County Emergency Management director Justin Jackson confirmed that the cause of Sunday night's derailment was due to a tree that had fallen on the tracks.
Thirty railcars and two locomotives were on the ground and in the water. Once it became daylight on Monday, an additional derailed railcar was discovered.
Damage to the track is severe, and part of a bridge was destroyed in the pileup.
Two engineers were aboard the train in the first locomotive when it hit the tree. The locomotive flipped, but the engineers were not hurt.
Canadian National issued a statement on Tuesday that said one car carrying carbon dioxide was ruptured, and one locomotive leaked fuel into a body of water in the area.
They said the EPA and environmental teams are at the scene and have contained both spills.
The statement concluded, “CN continues to engage with state and federal regulators on remediation efforts... CN apologizes for any inconvenience as a result of this incident.”
US 51 between KY 288 and KY 80 in Arlington will remain closed until further notice while cleanup continues.
Jackson said many trackhoes and bulldozers are working just to create access to the crash site, clearing trees, building temporary roads and crossing creeks, so that larger, specialized recovery equipment can be brought in.
As a result of the derailment, Amtrak’s City of New Orleans train service is suspended until further notice.
Passengers on the trains that departed on Sunday had to ride buses between Carbondale, Illnois and Fulton, Kentucky. The resumption of northbound service departed Carbondale at 9:33 a.m. and arrived in Chicago more than eight hours later than originally scheduled. The southbound train departed Fulton at 1:03 p.m., 11 hours late.
UPDATE MONDAY:
Cleanup continues at the site of the 31-car freight train derailment in Hickman County near the Carlisle County line. The train derailed on Sunday night when it struck a fallen tree.
The train was transporting a mixed freight load consisting of aggregate materials, automotive-related cargo, and various non-hazardous chemical products.
Hickman County Emergency Management said in a post on Monday that it might take at least a few days to clean up the crash site and get the track open for freight service, and for Amtrak passenger service between New Orleans and Chicago.
The derailment scene is in a heavily wooded area that is difficult to access. Peery Road is closed until further notice. KYTC posted that US 51 will remain blocked between KY 288 and KY 80 until further notice to allow heavy equipment to move in and out of the crash site.
Although details have not been announced, the Canadian National train incident will likely be investigated at a federal level. Train wrecks are usually investigated by agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board or the Federal Railroad Administration.
Most modern locomotives are equipped with an event recorder, a device similar to the "black box" found in jet airliners. On-board video, radio transmissions, and inspection logs could also be used.
A report of results from an investigating federal agency could take months to release.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A freight train derailed on Sunday night in Hickman County near the Carlisle County line.
Hickman County Emergency Management said they were alerted to the incident just after 10:15 p.m. The derailment was along the Canadian National line near Peery Road. Reportedly, twenty-nine railcars and two locomotives are off the tracks at that scene after possibly striking a tree that had fallen on the tracks. No injuries were reported.
The train was said to be hauling automotive-related cargo, aggregate materials, and non-hazardous chemicals. Initially, law enforcement suggested that nearby residents shelter in place, but the all-clear has been given.
The derailment scene is in a heavily wooded area that is difficult to access. Peery Road is closed until further notice. US 51 has also been closed at times between KY 288 and KY 80 to position recovery equipment.
Hickman County Emergency Management said they are working with Canadian National to coordinate the cleanup efforts with local agencies.
Additionally, WFCN reported that the derailment is disrupting AMTRAK operations along that line. They said that a Monday departure of The City of New Orleans from that city has been canceled, and more cancellations are likely.
The loud boom from the derailment of the freight train was reportedly heard all over the Purchase area.
Photo courtesy of Hickman County Emergency Management
an hour ago
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