Train Wreck in Georgia was Devastating, But it Could Have Been Worse

GEORGIA- 13wmaz.com writes that a train crash in the fall was the most expensive derailment in the state's history. The train also had cars that were transporting toxic chemicals and hazardous materials, but those cars did not derail. Had the hazardous materials derailed, the crash could have been even more devastating.*

The cost of the derailment was over $5 million dollars, and while that is the most any derailment has cost in the state, it does not represent the total loss. The cleanup operation is still ongoing, and all expenses have not been accounted for at this time. 

The train belonged to the Norfolk Southern Railroad, who has not reported the total amount.  Georgia's Environmental Protection Division has also played a role in the cleanup and has not reported the full cost of the crash either. 

Norfolk Southern declined to provide details regarding what the train had been transporting, stating that they do not provide the public with such information due to safety concerns. However, the train line frequently transports hazardous materials through the region, and it does pass through heavily populated areas. 

A spokesperson for Norfolk Southern explained that train companies go to great lengths and spend billions of dollars annually to make the transport of hazardous chemicals safer. The companies also work with local first responders on plans in the event of an emergency. 

While the 32 cars that derailed were not carrying the dangerous materials, even if they had been, there is a good chance that the cars would not have ruptured. 

In the last five years, 55 train crashes occurred in Central Georgia. Almost three out of every four of those involved Norfolk Southern trains. 

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Source:

https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/central-georgia-houston-county-norfolk-southern-train-wreck-derailment-crash-5-million-dollars-cleanup/93-5434e4d4-cb94-498d-b528-9b98a65eb087