Train Derails in S. Jersey (Paulsboro)

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
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Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
Its a mess
11931771-standard.jpg

By South Jersey Times
 

MuckSavage

Explorer
Apr 1, 2005
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Turnersville
My brother-in-law live withing eye-shot of the scene/tracks. Apparently, the evac was "disputed" they got out of town & spent a few hours at my house, but when I tuned into KYW1060, they said residents were to just stay inside & keep windows & doors closed. Still sad for the environment nonetheless
 

Boyd

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Jul 31, 2004
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Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/0...ened-by-hazardous-gas-after-train-derailment/

The situation worsened Friday evening as readings showed higher levels of vinyl chloride in the air and authorities decided to evacuate residents who live near the accident site. The evacuation affected several hundred people -- far more than the brief one immediately after the derailment.

National Transportation Safety Board members arrived Friday to start the work of piecing together how the accident happened on the swing-style rail bridge where there was another derailment three years ago. With increased health concerns close to the site, NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman said her investigators would initially focus on reviewing records, interviewing witnesses and other parts of the investigation that can be done away from the accident scene.

Meanwhile, local authorities said the job of lifting tanker cars was so immense that no cranes in the Philadelphia area were strong enough to handle it. One was being floated in by barge from New York Harbor -- a full day's journey away -- for the job.
 

amf

Explorer
May 20, 2006
155
50
Swedesboro
Take the time to read the msds for vinyl chloride. You don't wanna be near it. All those folks pictured walking around with no scba apparatus should get some liver function tests stat.
 

Boyd

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http://nj1015.com/tags/paulsboro-train-derailment/

New air quality tests at the site of the Paulsboro train derailment are again at safe levels and the shelter-in-place order has been lifted.

Kathleen Moore of the US Coast Guard earlier on Monday morning said residents should “shelter in place” by keeping their doors & windows closed after an air quality test showed the air at unsafe levels.

A shelter has been set up in Paulsboro for residents. Residents in a 12-block area who were evacuated on Friday night are still being told they will not be allowed until Saturday.

Moore says that it has not yet been determined whether the chemicals are coming from the breached tanker or the tankers still in the water. “We are not certain what is causing heightened levels,” said Moore.

No clean up or investigation activity the derailment site as a result of this condition.

Officials had warned that levels could spike as they begin to move tanker cars which still contain toxic chemicals.

Residents who had been evacuated on Friday night when the level of chemicals spiked were told Sunday night that they should expect to be out of their homes until at least Saturday.

Some residents complained that they learned from the media that they would be away from their homes for an extended period of time. ” They put us here. And they couldn’t send somebody here to tell us before the news guys came around?” Scott McFarland asked on WPVI TV.

This will likely delay efforts to remove the chemicals and cars from the area and for NTSB investigators to inspect the train and bridge.
 

stizkidz

Piney
May 10, 2003
1,044
8
Tuckerton
I live 1 mile from the wreck. Other than it being like a war zone in town, it has not really affected us too much. Noone asked me to evacuate and I have not smelled any chemicals. OEM, fire, police from all local municipalities all over town and news vans camped out too.
 

amf

Explorer
May 20, 2006
155
50
Swedesboro
Vinyl chloride is a nasty chemical, just like xylene, that we use or in contact with every day. VC is part of that familiar new car scent.

Don't confuse vinyl chloride with poly-vinyl chloride (which is that new car smell). Unlike VC, PVC is (relatively) harmless.
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
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Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
Four of the cars contained vinyl chloride, a colorless flammable gas with a sweet odor that is used primarily to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and that evaporates quickly. One of the train cars was compromised, releasing about 180,000 pounds of the chemical into the creek, according to Conrail spokesperson John Enright.
Acute exposure to vinyl chloride via inhalation can cause dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, and even a loss of consciousness, and it is reported to be slightly irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract, according to a statement from Gloucester County Freeholder Director Robert Damminger.
No matter it just plain suxs! The bridge was not closed all the way..........4inches short of closing What a Mess

Area of evacuation Now even bigger..........To Many Chiefs not enough braves
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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A man I work with is living in a motel because of this wreck. He actually seems to be taking it quite well as far as I can tell.

Guy
 

Boyd

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Preliminary report from the NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/2012/paulsboro_nj/paulsboro_preliminary_report.pdf
_________________________

Accident No.: DCA13MR002
Accident Type: Train Derailment with Hazardous Materials Release Location: Paulsboro, New Jersey
Date: November 30, 2012

Preliminary Report

The information in this report is preliminary and will be supplemented or corrected during the course of the investigation.

On November 30, 2012, about 6:59 a.m. eastern daylight time, southbound Conrail freight train FC4230 consisting of two locomotives and 82 cars derailed seven cars, the 6th through the 12th, near milepost 13.7 on the Conrail Penn’s Grove Secondary track in Paulsboro, New Jersey. The derailment occurred while the train traveled over the Paulsboro Movable Bridge.

Four tank cars that derailed on the bridge structure came to rest with portions of the cars in the Mantua Creek. Three of the tank cars contained vinyl chloride, and one contained ethanol. One of the tank cars carrying vinyl chloride breached during the derailment. Conrail reported that the breached tank car released approximately 180,000 pounds of vinyl chloride into Mantua Creek and the surrounding area.

After the accident, 22 local residents were treated and released at nearby hospitals. The conductor of the train was also treated and released. The initial damage estimates provided by Conrail are $721,114, which does not include environmental remediation. The weather at the time of the derailment was cloudy skies with a temperature of 34o F and calm winds.

Train movements are governed by the Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC) operating rules and the Conrail timetable. The maximum authorized speed over the 160-foot bridge is 10 mph. The locomotive event recorder data showed that the train was traveling 7 mph when it derailed.

Parties to the investigation include: the Federal Railroad Administration, Conrail, Trinity Tank Car, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the United Transportation Union.
 
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