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��Tribal Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee (TRMTC) �Annual Meeting

The National Transportation Stakeholders Forum(NTSF)

St Louis, MO 2023

A few FRA Facts about the East Palestine, OH Train Derailment, FRA’s Accident Processes and Working with the National Transportation Safety Board

F E D E R A L R A I L R O A D A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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The East Palestine, OH Derailment� Everybody Favorite Subject!

Quick Facts;

On February 3, 2023, at approximately 8:54 pm (EDT), an eastbound Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) general merchandise freight train (32N) derailed 38 railcars on main track 1 of the NS Fort Wayne Line of the Keystone Division in East Palestine, Ohio.
The derailed equipment included 11 tank cars carrying hazardous materials and 15 tank cars transporting non-regulated materials. Only 4 of the hazardous materials cars released products due to the derailment.
The released material and other products involved in the derailment ignited, fueling the fires burned for several days.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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Some Investigative Facts/ Information

The initial cause of the derailment is focused on a failed axle bearing on a rail car containing plastic pellets (23 car lengths from the locomotive).
The bearing temperature increased as the train passed two previous wayside defect detectors – but it wasn’t high enough to trigger an audible alarm message until it passed a third detector.

The railroad sets the thresholds for those detectors ( including spacing and temperature setting).

Investigators have not identified any track defects nor issues with the wayside defect detectors.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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Crew Reactions and Notifications

The engineer was already braking to slow down behind another train. So when the alarm sounded, he responded “immediately” and increased the brake application.
During this deceleration, the wheel bearing failed, causing the train to derail and initiating an emergency brake application to bring the train to a stop.
At that point, the train crew notified their dispatcher, and NS initiated their notification process to alert the appropriate authorities.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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East Palestine, OH Derailment

The initial evacuation for the area was voluntary, but after the NS’s and the specialized response contractor evaluation of the Vinyl Chloride Monomer tank cars, first responders implemented a 1-mile evacuation zone surrounding the derailment site. This affected up to 2,000 residents. There were no reported fatalities or injuries. At the time of the accident, visibility conditions were dark and clear; the weather was 10°F with no precipitation.

The track speed in the area was FRA Class 4, with a maximum of 45 mph for freight train operations.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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Additional Facts about the Response Decisions on the Tank Cars involved in the Derailment�

Five of the derailed train cars carried a combined 115,580 gallons ( +23,000 gallons per tank car) of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM).

Those five cars “continued to concern authorities because the temperature inside one tank car was still rising,” indicating a potential polymerization reaction that could result in rapid product expansion or over-pressurization inside the car and cause the car to rupture violently.
After three days of exposure to fire, and to help prevent a deadly explosion, specialized contractors breached and released the VCM into a trench and burned it off.

(1)Vinyl Chloride is classified by the US DOT as a flammable gas that is chiefly used to produce the polymer, poly(vinyl chloride) (or PVC).

(2) Polymerization is a exothermic reaction that takes place with excessive heat that causes the chemicals (Vinyl Chloride) to release significant amounts of energy and expand rapidly.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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Discussion on the Aluminum Protective Housings covering Tank Car Car Valves

On March 15 and 16, 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators performed a detailed examination and functional testing of the pressure relief devices (PRDs) removed from the five Vinyl Chloride monomer (VCM) tank cars that derailed on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio at a testing facility. The examination and testing revealed the following:

Melted aluminum debris from the protective housing covers entered the PRD discharge areas of some PRDs but there was no evidence of debris or material migration into the tank or internal PRD components.
The NTSB continues to assess if the melted aluminum debris within the discharge area of the PRDs had any effect on their venting and discharge operation.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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Top View of a Vinyl Chloride Tank car �Valve Arrangement

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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Relationship between FRA and the NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged and funded by Congress to investigate every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in other modes of transportation such as

railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space.�

NTSB makes its own determinations on the probable cause of the accidents and they issue safety recommendations, (NOT regulations!!) aimed at preventing future accidents.

In addition, we conduct transportation safety research studies and offer information and other assistance to family members and survivors for any accident investigated by the agency.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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FRA and NTSB at an Accident

If the NTSB accident investigators launch a team to an accident, FRA representatives fully cooperate and assist NTSB with any railroad specific information needed for their investigation.

FRA provides any technical information on package specifications, railroad operational records, or any other requested information for the NTSB investigation, BUT….
FRA has the responsibility to conduct it own investigation and does not have to agree with NTSB’s findings on any investigation for an accident or incident.

The NTSB investigations have priority over FRA investigations, but the NTSB does not have the authority to preempt FRA.
The NTSB will be responsible for the public release of the preliminary and/or final report resulting from joint investigative efforts. Their reports do not always reflect FRA’s investigation progress or final assessment of their accident.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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General Merchandise Freight Train�

BASIC DESCRIPTION Moves on a standard schedule with no scheduled incentive for a specific arrival time. Train consists of general freight, including hazardous materials dispersed throughout the train and the cars within the train have multiple destinations.	BASIC DESCRIPTION Moves on a priority schedule, with tremendous oversight, armed guards and onboard equipment for wheel detection and bearing detection and GPS Monitoring for location and changes in does rate.
RESPONSE In the event of a train derailment or incident, the initial response will be from the train crew members ( if possible), followed by local officials. At that point the railroad officials use their own notification protocols for internal notifications that will include their, rail transportation officials, and there rail/HM response managers along with their applicable response and remediation contractor teams depending on the circumstances and contents of the train. NRC notifications and the applicable utility will be involved.	RESPONSE Technical radioactive experience will be/ or may be on-board the train ( in some capacity). GPS Monitoring and/or on-call in real-time to dispatch in the event of any type of incident. NRC notifications and the applicable utility will be involved

Spent Nuclear Fuel Train

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward

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FRA and the Carriers during an Accident

FRA cooperates with the carriers at an accident scene by simply working with their representatives to gain factual data while staying out of their way in a response.

The carriers assign a supervisor to acquire anything FRA may need to investigative this accident.

FRA works with the incident Commander (ICC) (whoever that may be delegated to!) an carrier representatives to gain photographs, real time information, train consists, crew names, etc.. and photographs.

5/18/2023

FRA – Office of Railroad Safety

Moving America Forward