CSX Derailment Spills Coal Into James River Tributary Near Norwood, VA

April 2nd, 2010 |

GLADSTONE, VA – A CSX train carrying coal derailed around 12:45 a.m. on Thursday, April 1, 2010 in Gladstone, Virginia just south of Norwood. Norwood is located in the central part of the state about 180 miles northwest of Norfolk, about 85 miles west of Richmond, and about 34 miles northeast of Lynchburg.

A CSX train carrying coal derailed just after midnight Thursday morning along Norwood Road in Nelson County, Virginia. Photo credit: Lee Luther Jr.

In the incident, 22 cars that were carrying coal overturned when a train belonging to CSX jumped the tracks and overturned. The mishap occurred south of Variety Mills Road along a section of track that runs alongside Norwood Road. Coal spilled within 500 feet of a tributary of the James River and, according to officials, the coal spill did contaminate the waterway.

According to Nelson County Emergency Services Coordinator Ray Uttaro, no homes were damaged and no railroad worker injuries were reported as a result of the incident. Uttaro said that tracks were broken and that train cars were everywhere. “Its a mess,” he said.

Location of CSX derailment near Norwood, VA along a tributary of the James River. The location was along Norwood Road south of Variety Mills Road.

An emergency service spokesman said that clean-up crews quickly blocked the spill with dirt to prevent further contamination of the waterway and then off-loaded the balance of the coal from the wreckage to prevent further spillage. Investigators and clean-up crews arrived early Thursday morning at the scene of the mishap with cranes and bulldozers. Officials say that the cause of the derailment is under investigation and are unable to say how long the clean-up will take.

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