NTSB issues preliminary report on NS coal train derailment

The National Transportation Safety Board last week issued its preliminary report of the July 6 derailment of a Norfolk Southern Railway unit coal train near Elliston, Virginia.

The derailed equipment remained upright and did not separate from other rail cars in the train. There were no injuries, fatalities, fires or release of coal, NTSB officials said in the report.

The train consisted of a two-person crew, three head-end locomotives and 105 rail cars. The 5,562-foot-long train was traveling about 25 mph at the time of the derailment in an area authorized for a speed of up to 40 mph.

Train movements in the derailment area are authorized by a centralized traffic control system and coordinated by the New River Division train dispatcher in Atlanta. The rail network in derailment area is equipped with wayside hot-bearing detectors (HBD). About 5:29 p.m. on July 6, an HBD transmitted a critical alarm message for an axle on the 71st rail car.

After the crew stopped the train, the conductor inspected the cars and told the ATC desk that the axle’s temperature indicator stick had melted slightly, indicating a measurement of 169°F or higher, and that some grease was coming from the back of one of the axle bearings.

The ATC desk advised the crew to confer with the train dispatcher, who directed them to set out the rail car for inspection. The dispatcher gave the crew permission to move the train about 13 miles east to the Riverside siding to set out the rail car; as the crew was moving the train to this location, the derailment occurred.

The next day, NS issued an operations bulletin that clarified the requirements for responding to hot-bearing and dragging-equipment alarms. The bulletin states that upon receiving a critical hot-bearing alarm, the crew must immediately stop the train for inspection. If the overheated condition is confirmed, the crew must inform the ATC desk and seek guidance on moving to the next available set out location.

The bulletin further states that a visual inspection of the bearing and its components must be performed. If the inspection reveals leaking grease or visible damage, the ATC desk must be notified, and NS mechanical department personnel must perform an inspection before the rail car is moved.

While on the scene, NTSB investigators recovered burned-off bearing components, wheels and axles from the 71st rail car. The NTSB reviewed information from data logs, the lead locomotive event recorder and forward- and inward-facing image recorders; examined and tested railroad equipment; and completed interviews.

The NTSB’s investigation is ongoing. Future investigative activity will focus on the 71st rail car’s wheelset and reconditioned bearings, NS’s use of HBDs and NS operating rules for defective equipment detectors.