San Joaquin Valley Railroad Train Derails in Bakersfield, CA

April 4th, 2011 |

BAKERSFIELD, CA – Three tanker cars hauling oil and operated by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company jumped the tracks in Bakersfield, CA on on Thursday, March 24, 2011.

Three tanker cars from a San Joaquin Valley Railroad train derail in Bakersfield, CA on March 24, 2011.

Bakersfield is located in Kern County, California in the southern-central part of the state about 279 miles southeast of Sacramento.

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The derailment occurred around 2:00 p.m. in an industrial area of Bakersfield near the railroad crossing on Standard Street just north of Gulf Street.

The derailment caused a traffic jam on Standard Street.

Location of San Joaquin Valley Railroad train derailment which caused a traffic jam on Standard Street just north of Gulf Street in Bakersfield, CA on March 24, 2011 at around 2:00 p.m.

The San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company is located in Exeter, CA providing service over lines in California extending from Fresno, to Riverdale, Goshen, Buttonwillow, Bakersfield, Clovis, Exeter and Jovista.

No injuries were reported and no one had to be evacuated as a result of the incident. Fortunately, no railroad workers were injured in the mishap.

Officials believe that the derailment was caused by broken tracks which are owned by Union Pacific railroad. When the California Highway Patrol (CHP) was called in, they said that the 3 cars came off the tracks because the tracks apparently broke.

The tanker cars were loaded with lubricating oil. Some of the oil was leaking due to the derailment, but the CHP said that the material was not hazardous and there was no reason to call in a HazMat team to monitor the situation.

A giant crane had to be brought in to right the derailed cars and get them back on the tracks. The biggest concern for several of the local businesses was that it was quite an inconvenience.

People were stuck for about an hour or so, but the railroad company eventually allowed vehicles to get out of the traffic jam by allowing them to cross its property.

The CHP estimated that it would take from 3 to 6 hours to clear up the situation.

Published by FELA lawyer Gordon &amp Elias, LLP