(The following article by Amy Dorsett was posted on the San Antonio Express-News website on November 29.)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Already under the microscope for a series of San Antonio accidents, Union Pacific was involved in two train derailments only moments apart early Sunday in two city switching yards.
Neither of the derailments caused injuries or major damage, yet they will be scrutinized by UP executives who are in town after six major derailments and accidents in the area this year that led to four deaths and numerous injuries.
Though the company regards switch-yard accidents as the railroad version of a parking lot mishap, UP spokesman John Bromley said two so close together in time and place is “very unusual.”
The company blamed both incidents on human error.
According to Bromley, the first derailment was at about 5:20 a.m. at the UP’s South Side San Antonio switching yard.
“We had a switch engine pulling some cars, and it pushed those into another set of cars on another track,” he said.
Four cars were derailed, and some grain and boxes of general merchandise were spilled at 1711 Quintana Road, near Kelly USA.
Six train cars went off the track at the same rail yard eight days earlier, requiring cleanup but involving no injuries or hazardous materials spills.
About 10 minutes after the first derailment Sunday, nearly the exact same event was repeated at an East Side switching yard near Interstate 35 and New Braunfels Avenue.
“The engine was pushing back and sideswiped a section of cars on another set of tracks,” Bromley said.
One locomotive and one car derailed.
Though remote-control technology was being used at both yards, both accidents were caused by “rules violations,” Bromley said.
The use of remote control is controversial, with some, including the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, saying it’s up to train companies to ensure the devices are used more carefully.
“Normally, this wouldn’t garner attention, but because it happened in San Antonio, it’s getting attention,” Bromley said. “It emphasizes the need for us to walk everyone through the rules.”
Earlier this month, UP posted a cadre of officials in San Antonio and vowed to step up safety training and tests.