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NTSB: Tamaroa, Ill. Derailment in '03 Caused by Rail

St. Louis Public Radio
Published Jan. 26, 2005 at 9:39 a.m. CST
The derailment in Tamaroa in Feb. 2003(State of Illinois photo)
The derailment in Tamaroa in Feb. 2003(State of Illinois photo)

By AP/KWMU

Tamaroa, Ill. – Federal investigators have concluded a bad rail caused the derailment of a train two years ago in the southern Illinois town of Tamaroa.

More than 800 people were evacuated after chemicals spilled from ruptured train cars. No one was hurt.

The NTSB says placement of welds on a loosely supported section of railroad track that flexed under the stress of passing trains eventually caused the rail to give way on February 9, 2003.

The northbound Canadian National-Illinois Central train was carrying methanol, vinyl chloride, hydrochloric acid and formaldehyde, each either flammable or potentially toxic.

Some chemicals spilled from ruptured train cars, causing the evacuation of about 850 people.

Canadian National has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to residents and businesses affected by the accident.

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