CSX derailment in Pennsylvania causes operational delays, rerouted freight

Sulfur and petroleum fires from the 32-car derailment in Hyndman, Pa. last week have been extinguished, but the incident is still causing freight to be rerouted and delayed in the area, according to CSX.    CSX continues to work on the derailment incident in Hyndman, Pa., that resulted in 32 overturned rail cars and the spilling of hazardous material that forced the evacuation of a one-mile radius around the derailment site on Thursday. 
   As of Friday afternoon, all sulfur fires had been extinguished, with petroleum fires having been put out earlier that day, according to a statement from CSX.
   The railroad, the Hyndman cooperative incident management team and environmental experts have determined it is safe to reduce the evacuation zone to a limited area after a highly sensitive air-quality sample was analyzed by an American Industrial Hygiene Association accredited lab. The sample showed no impact to air quality and the evacuation zone has shrunken to just the area immediately surrounding the derailment site.
   CSX said the majority of evacuated residents returned to their homes Saturday evening, but “a reduced perimeter is being maintained for the sole purpose of protecting residents from the impact of site restoration activity. Site restoration work includes heavy truck traffic, movement of derailed cars and other noisy, disruptive activity 24 hours per day.”
   Operations around the affected area continue to slowed, particularly between Connellsville, Pa. and Cumberland, Md., said CSX.
   “Traffic scheduled through this area continues to be re-routed to alternate CSX routes. Customers with freight traveling through this area should expect delays into next week. As CSX operations continues to monitor and carefully evaluate any extenuating developments, further updates will be provided to affected customers once conditions on the ground allow for determining recovery timetables to safely restore service,” the Jacksonville, Fla.-based Class I railway said in its most recent online update.
   The investigation into the cause of the derailment is still ongoing and no details as to the types of rail cars in transit or how the derailment occurred have been released.