Crew members OK after Jasper train derailment

The Norfolk Southern train derailment Saturday night in Jasper was the latest in a string of train derailments around the country. However, it was the first to have caused injuries to crew members.

The crash near 1350 Old Russellville Road in Jasper injured two of the crew. However they were treated at a hospital for their injuries and released. The lead locomotive and 11 cars derailed, trapping the two crew members temporarily in the engine room.

Norfolk Southern Senior Communications Director Connor Speilmaker said the term derailment that has been used to describe recent occurrences in the media lately is a very broad one.

“I can tell you that the term ‘derailment’ is widely encompassing of any situation where a wheel comes off the track,” he said. “That can be just that, a set of wheels off the tracks, or can be cars off the track, overturned, etc.”

The crash that occurred in Jasper isn’t the first recent train derailment to take place in Alabama. Last month in Calhoun County, 37 train cars containing mixed materials crashed. That particular train had two cars meant for hazardous materials but at the time of the derailment they were empty.

The Jasper derailment, however, marks the first time in all of the heavily reported crashes that workers have been injured.

Jasper Mayor David O’Mary said he can’t recall a train derailment taking place in Jasper and is grateful that no hazardous materials were exposed.

“I have lived in Jasper for over 40 years and am not aware of other derailments taking place,” he said. “I am very thankful we did not have a hazardous material situation to deal with.”

A train carrying hazardous materials crashed Feb. 2 in East Palestine, Ohio, spilling a large amount of its hazardous contents into the surrounding areas. The crash started a fire that lasted for days sending poisonous fumes into the community, causing an evacuation. No injuries were reported after the crash.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.