(The following story by Daniele Cruz appeared on the Gloucester County Times website on March 6.)
EAST GREENWICH TWP., N.J. –A train, confirmed to be carrying non-toxic materials on Conrail’s Salem Industrial track, toppled over and blocked traffic at West Cohawkin Road for several hours Friday night.
The derailment occurred at about 5 p.m. Friday and John K. Enright, public information officer for Conrail.
In an ironic twist, two East Greenwich police officers, Sgt. Steve Ridinger and Ptl. Dan Abate, were at the crossing at the time of the derailment investigating a report of a possible railroad gate malfunction and witnessed the accident.
The train, with 22 cars and two engines, was traveling on the Salem Industrial Track, which runs from Woodbury to Swedesboro.
Police said Abate saw the seventh car of the train leave the track about 50 feet from the crossing, causing a length of the rail to snap and three more cars to derail. Two of the cars fell on their sides, spilling soda ash and limestone, said police.
“The cargo and freight is not hazardous, so there is nothing to be concerned with in that regard,” Enright said.
There were no reported injuries. A structural defect in the track is suspected in the accident, according to police.
Work on removing the damaged cars was continuing as of 10:30 p.m., and West Cohawkin Road remained closed from Kings Highway to Friendship Road, police said.
“We have huge pieces of equipment that re-rail the cars,” he said shortly after the accident. “We have to get that equipment down there.”
Conrail operates local rail freight service on behalf of its owners, CSX Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation.