WHAT A MESS
More than 25 Norfolk Southern Railway cars derailed Friday afternoon near Georges Station Road in Hempfield, Westmoreland County. The railroad said a train heading west struck the rear of another westbound train. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were known to have spilled, Norfolk Southern said. Story,
Rail cars or locomotives from three Norfolk Southern Railway trains derailed Friday afternoon in Westmoreland County. Officials said one train crashed into the rear of another, derailing cars that fell onto a third train on an adjacent track.
No injuries were reported in the incident that occurred about 2:30 p.m. along Georges Station Road in Hempfield.
No hazardous materials were known to have spilled, according to Norfolk Southern.
Norfolk Southern said a train of empty crude oil tankers traveling west from Altoona to Conway struck the rear of an intermodal train that also was westbound.
Two locomotives pulling the crude oil cars were knocked off the track, and cars transporting 18 shipping containers derailed off the intermodal train.
Some of the derailed cars then struck part of another intermodal train that was traveling east on the adjacent track, causing the derailment of eight rail cars on that train.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, Norfolk Southern said.
The derailment occurred on a double mainline section of track and blocked traffic in both directions.
Norfolk Southern personnel and contractors who specialize in derailments were working to clear the tracks and restore service late Friday.