I have a couple of questions for some of you. Sorry for being off-topic, but I haven't heard much news recently. First off, have there been any other reports about the CSX derailment in eastern NC when the local jumped the tracks? Second, has there been any news about the S-Line possibly being re-laid? I live next to the tracks and my parents are concerned about traffic increase. Thanks for your help!!

-- Lee Bright (Trains14@hotmail.com), February 18, 2000

Answers

Ask the CSX and NS train crew members who run in and near that area, and you'll find out why the train derailed. It'll be many weeks, I expect, before the official reports emerge.

-- Whit Joyner (vivnwhit@mindspring.com), February 19, 2000.

Lee, I assume you are referring to the Pitt County, NC incident near Greenville. I was on scene there for several hours due to my job. The NC Div. of Emergency Management's contract hazmat team, Regional Response Team 1, and the NC Forest Service combined forces to help CSX extinguish the fire. Pitt County provided a mobile command post, and the Salvation Army canteen provided food. Some limited local evacuation was done in the early stages, but this was not as extensive as reported by the media. The actual derailment site was hard to access , and hi-rail dump trucks and cranes from Cranemaster were brought in; some hi-rail vacuum trucks were also used by a contractor to remove the ethelyne glycol from the wrecked tank car. Some glycol did spill into the creek, and the County issued warnings advising that livestock and animals should not be allowed to drink the water. Not too much could be done to recover it, as it is water soluble; there was a lot of surface runoff dilution available due to the recent snow. Hulcher and Hepaco (environmental) were also on scene as contractors. Dow and DuPont sent people and equipment as well. CSX has some real sharp people to deal with hazmat incidents. I am not sure what actually caused this incident, and it would not be my place to speculate here.

-- David Humphrey (supercub@coastalnet.com), February 19, 2000.

Lee, Check out the site www.sehsr.org. Up to date information there on S-Line.

-- SW Hayes (darvills@aol.com), February 19, 2000.

The last update that I saw on the derailment was: http://www.wral-tv.com/news/wral/2000/0202-train-update/

No recent announcement here in Raleigh about rebuilding the S-line.

-- Chuck Till (ctill@nc.rr.com), February 19, 2000.

Might I also add that this was the derailment that involved the chemical tankers that tipped over on a trestle and burned for a day or two.

-- Lee Bright (Trains14@hotmail.com), February 18, 2000.