BREAKING VA AVENUE TUNNEL UPDATE- CSX HIDES DERAILMENT FROM NEIGHBORS, MEDIA

[Mike McEleney]

All,

 

CSX suffered a MAJOR DERAILMENT of its Q405 train in the VA Ave Tunnel on Tuesday. 12-14 cars of industrial waste were derailed in the tunnel, forcing CSX to send traffic on alternate routes through Maryland. This is the same train that routinely carries molten sulphur, hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid through our neighborhood. CSX did not notify the community of this major accident. Because of slight impacts to VRE a notice was issued that failed to state where the accident was, the severity, or the nature of the cars involved.

 

 On a railroad employee bulletin board  CSX employees were quoted in this exchange:

 

Q. "Sure. It's weird that I can't find anything about it anywhere. Hell the only reason I know is because my friend is flagging right there at the tunnel for a construction project and he told me about it.

Justs seems weird that it being in DC, in the Capital and all that nothing would be reported on it.

 

A. I guess to keep folks from flipping out about a train possible with chemicals derailed in the nations capital."

 

Folks, this train carriers hazardous chemicals every day. If this accident were repeated during CSX's proposed project we would be facing:

 

1. Evacuations of the neighbors along the route

2. Closure of most or all North-South crossings of VA Avenue during rush hour

3, Round the clock emergency repair crews cutting, welding and lifting.

THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTED THIS FROM BEING A MAJOR INCIDENT IN THE NATION's CAPITAL WAS THE EXISTING TUNNEL THAT CSX PLANS TO REMOVE.

 

Interestingly CSX was able to reroute the disrupted rail traffic through existing lines in MD and VA with no net disruption to its freight traffic. Yet they claim that other routes cant handle the traffic.......

 

Continue to contact Rep. Norton and your local elected officials with your concerns about this project!

[Rob Lee]

Was this in any news paper?  News at all?

--R

 

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From: Mike McEleney <mmce...@gmail.com>
To: mmce...@gmail.com
Sent: Sat, November 28, 2009 4:25:50 PM
Subject: BREAKING VA AVENUE TUNNEL UPDATE- CSX HIDES DERAILMENT FROM NEIGHBORS, MEDIA

[Mike McEleney]

Dr. Gridlock ran it as a VRE/MARC story, nothing more.

 

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2009/11/marc_anticipates_afternoon_del.html?wprss=getthere

[Rob Lee]

Can you also link or take a screen capture of the discussion you mention below on railroad BB?

--Rob

 

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From: Mike McEleney <mmce...@gmail.com>
To: mmce...@gmail.com
Sent: Sat, November 28, 2009 4:25:50 PM
Subject: BREAKING VA AVENUE TUNNEL UPDATE- CSX HIDES DERAILMENT FROM NEIGHBORS, MEDIA