(The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published the following article by Lateef Mungin on its website on July 15.)
ATLANTA — CSX officials say they are investigating their train operators, equipment and track after three trains derailed in Gwinnett in four weeks.
Nine CSX train cars jumped off the track Saturday at Winder Highway and Ga. 316. No one was injured and no hazardous materials were spilled, fire officials said. Saturday’s incident comes on the heels of derailments on June 21 and June 27. No one was injured in any of the incidents. Hazardous materials were spilled in one of the three derailments.
“We are concerned anytime a train derails,” said Gary Sease, a spokesman for CSX. “Even if there are no hazardous materials spilled, we are still concerned. A lot of hazardous materials are carried on that route and we want to prevent anything from spilling.”
The CSX line that goes through Gwinnett carries 25 trains a day between Atlanta and Greenwood, S.C., Sease said. Sease did not release any details on the investigations into the three derailments, saying that inquiries were still in process. The investigations could take as long as a month, he said.
But the company stands by its safety record, Sease said.
“We are the second-safest train company of the four companies in the nation,” said Sease. “Last year we had about 475,000 hazardous materials routes in our 23 states and had seven derailments where materials were spilled. That is still not good enough, but that just lets you know that we work to make our trains safe.”
Gwinnett fire officials say they are ready to respond to any derailments. But at least one veteran fire official said he’s never seen this many train derailments in four weeks.
“I’ve never seen this many and we are concerned about it,” said Frank Daniell, the Gwinnett emergency management coordinator who has been with the Fire Department for 24 years. “But we have one of the best hazardous materials teams in the country. We can handle it.”