(The following story by Neil Harvey appeared on the Roanoke Times website on June 4.)
ROANOKE, Va. — Seven Norfolk Southern Corp. railroad cars went off their tracks while being coupled Sunday night, but no one was injured and no hazardous materials spilled, officials said.
The accident happened about 7:45 p.m., said Robin Chapman, a spokesman for the Norfolk-based railroad.
It occurred in the Roanoke rail yard off Shenandoah Avenue, between the Second and Fifth street bridges, and involved four empty boxcars and three tank cars.
Chapman said he did not know what was in the tank cars but said nothing had leaked from them.
He did not know the cause of the accident but said it was under investigation.
“They were building a train,” Chapman said. “It happened inside the rail yard. It’s not really affecting train operations.”
Bobby Underwood, who lives on nearby Centre Avenue in Northwest Roanoke, said he both heard and felt the accident take place.
“We hear trains hitting all the time,” Underwood said. “But this one hit so hard it shook our house. It vibrated our house.”