Train Was Speeding
Norfolk Southern Files Charges Against Its Conductor, Engineer For Losing Control Of Train

Norfolk Southern officials have announced that the train crash that occured in Gardeau on June 30 was due to operator error.

The only two people on the freight train have both been cited for alleged "improper train handling" and "excessive speeding." They were cited through a process governed by the railroad's agreements with their labor unions.

The information was released to the Department of Environmental Protection first and then to the public early last week.

Norfolk Southern said the charges and the continuing investigation are being handled "internally." The names of the employees have not been released.

Twenty-eight cars on the train derailed and three split open, spilling 42,000 gallons of highly concentrated, liquid sodium hydroxide into the ground and into Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek. The aquatic life in at least the first seven miles of that stream was totally wiped out. Thousands and thousands of fish and invertebrates were killed in the lower stretches of the stream and in the Driftwood Branch of the Sinnemahoning into which the Portage spills.

Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband released a statement Monday that said the engineer and conductor aboard the train had been charged with "improper train handling" and "excessive speeding."

He said later in the week that the company does not intend to release the names of the individuals involved.

"Our investigation is open still. In accordance with the labor contracts in place, we've charged them with certain offenses. They are entitled to due process, which we are going through right now," he said. "The disciplinary process is under way."

The internal charges against the employees were filed for actions "causing derailment and extensive damage to track structure and equipment and endangering the safety and welfare of public and other employees," Husband told The AP. However, he would not say that speeding was a cause of or even a contributing factor to the derailment.

"Until we've come to a conclusion, everything is being looked at," he said. "I'm not going to start getting into certain elements of our investigation."

Norfolk Southern crews are still working on removing the debris at the spill site. They said they expect the site to be cleared by the end of next week. The debris is sitting on the Albert Haynes farm.

Husband said the company is doing all that it can to speed up the clean-up.

"It's a fairly aggressive schedule," he said, adding staying on schedule will be weather-dependant. "We'll certainly have it out of there by the middle of August.

File Coming Here

The DEP's public files relating to the train derailment will be available for review beginning next week at the Cameron County Courthouse.

The Cameron County Conservation District is housing a document repository at its office in Room 105 of the courthouse. Residents should contact Conservation District Manager Jan Hampton to arrange an appointment to review the files.

The files came here at the request of the Cameron County Commissioners and the Conservation District.