(The following article by Darren Dunlap was posted on the Maryville Daily Times website on October 3.)
MARYSVILLE, Tenn. — Buckled track caused the derailment of a 95-car train on Aug. 15 at West Hunt Road and Armona Road.
Federal officials determined the cause earlier this month and CSX Transportation officials gave the same finding Tuesday when the transportation company released its report.
Buckled track is also called a “sun kink,” according to Meg Scheu, a CSX spokeswoman.
“The excessive heat of the summer will buckle it,” said Scheu. “It’s not something that’s a usual occurrence.”
Temperatures reached 94 degrees Aug. 15, with an average wind speed of two miles per hour.
Scheu said the company has 22,000 miles of track in 23 states. There are 1,000 miles of track in Tennessee.
Train tracks are inspected twice a week and more during the summer when temperatures increase, according to Scheu.
“When we know that there are going to be excessive temperatures, we will do additional inspections,” she said.
She said 32 of the train’s cars derailed and that the train traveled at 47 miles per hour, “well below” the track’s limit of 60 miles per hour.
The train derailed in the afternoon on a section of tracks with crossings at West Hunt Road and Lively Road. The train cars are used for hauling coal, but were running empty during the derailment.
Lively Road residents were temporarily unable to get to their homes because of the derailed cars.
There were no injuries, according to the Blount County Sheriff’s Office.
Company officials had the track cleared and repaired 24 hours later, enabling the company to resume use of the track by the evening of Aug. 16.