Document RjYJoxNM8217vvNpYaXXNL1M7

611.1. Mft-1 INTERNAL O RRBiR N__D__B_N__C__B RECEIVED -IIIL 91973 You moy be Interested tn the attached reports the Juno 18, 1973 Vinyl Chloride Tank Gar derailment. Joe Robertson I* o plant distribution supervisor that represented us at the scene to recover the tank car. He had the same responsibility at the December 28, 1972 derailment. \ %'j?* J.R.Matthewv'ph INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE jUL 3-- ' *' s CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS SOUTH CHARLESTON PLANT P. 0. BOX 8004, SOUTH CHARLESTON, W, VA. ?5303 To(Nonwi Division Location Mr. J. R. Matthews Building 300 copy to Mr, S. R. Baker Mr. E. G. Dietz Mr. E. T. Hendrickson Mr. R. E. Jarrett Mr. O. K. McCa I lister Mr. R. J. Murphy Mr. G. k. Pettit Mr. P. W. Pontius Dear Jack: Da, June 29, 1973 Originating Dnpt. Answering letter dot* Subioct Vinyl Chloride Tank Car ESMX 4819 Derailment - June 18, 1973 The derailment occurred at Clay Bank, Ohio*. The front trucks derailed one mile north of total derailment at Clay Bank. The location of derailment was 200 yards south of similar derailment involving Vinyl Chloride tank car ESMX 4802 December 28, 1972. The train was traveling at approximately 10 miles per hour prior to derailment. The Vinyl Chloride tank car was rounding a curve at time of derailment (front trucks). Tank car derailed and rolled over into soft mud. The opinion of Mr. Diehl, assistant track engineer for Penn Central Railroad, is the track curve elevation, high center of gravity of ESMX tank cars and slow speed of trains through this area are contributing factors in derailment. There is a 10 mile per hour speed limit ?n the area due to track conditions. Attached is a copy of previous derailment report which I feel sums up the situation we are encountering regarding Vinyl Chloride tank car derailments.' Consideration of re-routing Vinyl Chloride tank cars could be a possibility to eliminating present hazard being encountered on Penn Central Railroad. Yours in safety, J. J. Robertson/ph ucc 024315 ro(N*TM> Cc'm'u")' Mr. J. J. Robertson Bldg. 531 SOUTH CHARLESTON PLANT [<K4.Vo January 10, 1973 * . ; - * .i - bv n?i AT IU; Copy to Mr. J. L. Burgess, Bldg. 303 Mr. R. E. Jarrett, Bldg. JiOO-512 Mr. J. R. Matthews, Bldg. 300 Mr. R. 0. Cavender, Bldg. 300 Mr. r. W. Pontius, Bldg. 82-9 Mr. H. B. Russell, Bldg. 531 Mr. R. E. Morris, Bldg. 82-4 Mr. R. II. Gauthier, Bldg. <32-4 Mr. W. J. Woomer, Bldg. 400-512 Penn Contra! Track Repairs Dear Joe: Your letter of January 4 to Bob Cavender, relative to the Penn Central derailment of our ESMX 4802, brought the following statement from Mr. Frank Matthews, Penn Central Terminal Superintendent: "The area where derailment occurred has been in only slightly worse condition than the entire stretch of track between Columbus, Ohio, and Charleston. This particular derailment was caused by improper cross level of rails which has been corrected. "All trackage between Columbus and Charleston is presently being retied, rebedded and leveled." The completion of this work should eliminate the hazardous conditions that presently exist. Very truly yours. -'/ ^Ah - S.R.Baker/mh Supervisor, Transportation Services Central Region Transportation ucc 024316 Mr. R. O. Govender Building 300 January 4' ITM Mr. S. R. Baker Mr. J. L. Burgess Mr. R. E. Jarrett Mr. J. R. Matthews Mr. P. W. Pontius aMr,. H. B. W&b Russell PRircvtUT* Dear Bob: Vin/I Chloride Tank Car ESMX 4602 Derailment - Time of Derailment 6:10 AM - 12-28-72 The front trucks of tank car derailed approximately one mile south of New Lexington, Ohio. The train traveled approximately 2.3 miles from point of derailment until front trucks hit o switch track at Clay Bank, Ohio leading into Peabody Coal Company mine, causing tank car to roll off of trucks coming to rest upside down next to switch track. The front trucks ripped out several sections of switch track. The air coupling broke at impact stopping the train. The train had been traveling at approximately 10 miles per hour prior to derailment. The train was starting up a slight grade and was In' a curve when front trucks derailed. The opinion is the tank car must have been humped to cause front trucks to derai I. The railroad roadbed in this area is soft due to increased strip mining over the past few years. The strip mining has caused swampy conditions along both sides of th roadbed. Penn Central Railroad has had several derailments in this area in the past few years. This is the second derailment in this area involving a UCC tank car in the past f ur months. In late August a Propylene Oxide tank car enroute to North Charleston was derailed apP'Oximately two miles south of this derailment. Penn Central had a ten mile per hour speed limit in effect before this derailment. According to their track engineer a five mile p r hour limit is now in effect through the area, covering a distance of approximately five mil s. North Charleston Is currently receiving 100 tank cars per month of Propyl ne Oxide and 20 tank cars per month of Vinyl Chloride traveling through this area enroute. Empty tank cars ore routed this way also. Both UCC tank car derailments involved loaded cars enroute to North Charleston. Institute receives 60 tank cars per month of Ethylene Oxide via this routing. Yours in safety. J. J. Robertson/ph UCC 024317