(The following story by Keith Phucas appeared on the Norristown Times Herald website on July 31.)
EAST NORRITON, Pa. — Concerned about the potential danger posed by freight trains carrying hazardous material cargo, state Reps. John Fichter (R-70th Dist.) and Jacqueline Crahalla (R-150th Dist.) are calling for public hearings following a train derailment near a township apartment complex.
A train derailed around 3 a.m. Thursday near Timberlake Apartments, spilling tons of birdseed onto the ground. Police were not notified about the accident until Friday afternoon.
According to Lt. Kurt Taboga of township police, no one was injured by the derailment but the incident caused a temporary power outage.
Though the tracks where the accident occurred are owned by Norfolk Southern Corp., the train actually belongs to CSX, according to Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband.
Husband explained that CSX filed a derailment report, and therefore CSX is responsible for the accident investigation.
But according to CSX spokeswoman Jane Covington, since the tracks are owned by Norfolk Southern, a Norfolk Southern crew would typically operate the train even if CSX owned the train.
Exactly who was handling the accident investigation is as yet undetermined, Fichter said.
“No one has claimed responsibility,” he said.
Recalling a derailment near Deer Run four years ago, Fichter said it took several weeks before he was able to find out who was being held responsible for that accident.
Fichter believes that occasionally freight cars traveling through the township on the Stony Creek Line carry hazardous materials.
“We’re very fortunate that there were no hazardous materials on that (derailed) train,” he said.
Fichter and Crahalla requested a joint public hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Consumer Affairs and Transportation committees to resolve the matter.
Husband said the tracks are private property.
There are no fences or posted signs warning people of the train tracks near the site of the derailment.
(Katie O’Connor and Dan Kelley contributed to this article.)