On Feb. 3 a 149-car, 9,000-foot-long train carrying toxic chemicals was on its way from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

The train was traveling 47 mph, a routine speed for freight trains, when it crashed in East Palestine, Ohio, setting off a dangerous situation.

A fire ensued, sending a thick black smoke in to the air. Residents were forced to evacuate over concerns that there could be an explosion caused by vinyl chloride, a toxic and flammable gas.

And when they returned, many developed rashes, sore throats, coughs and nausea. Wildlife was impacted, too, with more than 38,000 fish killed, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said.

Even though trains frequently travel through our area, emergency officials says the likelihood of a disaster of this magnitude is slim here.

“Keep in mind that the local trains are limited in length, the normal speed is considerably slower than the trains traveling on the larger nationwide system and the commodities are limited to raw materials, coal and chemicals used at local facilities,” explained Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator John Matz.

But that’s not to say that a derailment can’t happen and that area EMAs and emergency responders aren’t prepared for such an event.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation statistics and Federal Railroad Administration reports that train incidents aren’t out of the ordinary, with more than 1,000 of them happening every year across the country. The most common type of incident is a derailment, or when a train leaves the track.

The statistics shows that toxic derailments aren’t very common.

The cargo

In 2021, the Association of American Railroads reported that trains carried 2.2 million carloads of plastics, fertilizers and other chemicals such as ethanol, caustic urea and anhydrous ammonia. “More than 99.9% of all hazmat (hazardous materials) moved by rail reaches its destination without a release caused by a train accident,” the AAR noted.

Furthermore, a recent USA Today analysis of 10 years of federal rail data found more than 5,000 incidents of hazardous materials spilling or leaking from traveling or sitting trains. In 2022, there were 330 such spills, and six of them caused an injury.

“For every rail leak reported last year, there were two involving planes and 67 on highways,” USA Today found.

Most incidents - spills, derailments or otherwise - don’t cause considerable damage or death, the federal rail association said.

In 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 1,627 incidents in which eight people died and 118 people were injured. The numbers are in line with those reported over the past decade.

“Train derailments are a concern; however, the more typical incident for first responders would likely involve motor carriers on highways or situations at fixed facilities,” Matz explained.

In any event, responders are required to take hazardous materials trainings, along with annual refresher courses, he noted.

A “significant” derailment, Matz said, would trigger EMA officials and first responders to address any threats to life and health.

“In the event of a mishap, we would assess the life safety issues and if necessary, recommend evacuation and sheltering until the rail carrier is able to mitigate any danger,” Matz explained.

Emergency responders would help establish an isolation zone, if needed, and continue to monitor conditions as the railroad professionals address the specialized situation.

The Carbon County Emergency Management Agency, along with others in the first responder community, are also at the ready, and do plan, train and exercise for such incidents, said Carbon EMA director Mark Nalesnik.

Local incidents

If the event is minor, railroad companies handle the situation with their staff - and only notify emergency responders if the situation impacts travel on roadways.

On Jan. 31, a train derailed on Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern (Reading & Northern) tracks in a remote area of Rush Township. Several cars left the rails. Crews from the railroad addressed the incident.

Reading & Northern, based in Port Clinton, is a regional freight carrier and the only company with tracks in Schuylkill County. It is also owns most of the tracks that traverse Carbon County, which also has a few miles of Norfolk Southern rails, according to a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation map.

“Keep in mind there are no major rail carriers (such as Norfolk Southern/Canadian Pacific) operating within Schuylkill; therefore, no large trains with shipments of mixed commodities traveling through Schuylkill,” Matz said.

The rail association has no records of train accidents in Schuylkill or Carbon counties in 2022.

However, there was one April 12 on tracks that cross East Broad Street in Tamaqua. A Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern train carrying coal derailed but none of the cars tipped over, according to Times News archives. Traffic was stopped for a time, Tamaqua police responded, and the railroad moved the cars within an hour.

In nearby Luzerne County, four incidents were reported to FRA in 2022. A Reading & Northern train consisting of 55 loaded cars was brought to a stop by its conductor in West Hazleton after he felt a “tugging.”

“Conductor walked train to discover cars 33 to 43 derailed,” according to the July 20 report.

In August, a Reading & Northern train was near White Haven, when its crew encountered a minor “sun kink,” or a buckle in railroad track caused by extremely hot weather. It resulted in a derailment of the train’s 22nd car, according to the report.

The other derailments occurred in Mountain Top and Pittston. No injuries or significant damage were reported in any of the accidents.

While Reading & Northern is the predominant company in the area, Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads and more than 5,600 miles of track, PennDOT notes.

Hazardous materials

As for the transport of hazardous materials, it is under the watch of the federal railroad association, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

Railroads consider information about where hazardous shipments are heading to be proprietary, and releasing it to the public could cause safety and security issues, the FRA notes.

But emergency responders and other government officials can obtain the information.

“I will note that local government officials may request from rail carriers a list of all hazardous materials transported by rail through their communities on an annualized basis,” explained William Wong, an FRA spokesman. “However, this information is for the express purpose of assisting emergency responders in planning and preparing for emergency situations that could arise, and it is shared on a need-to-know basis in accordance with Department of Homeland Security guidance and industry standards on hazmat transport.

Large railroads also make real-time emergency information available to verified agencies through the Industry’s AskRail app, currently deployed on all Class I railroads.

Prepared for hazards

Both Schuylkill and Carbon counties have Local Emergency Planning Committees, groups of volunteers from all professions who focus on community preparedness - including how to address hazards that might threaten the communities.

Nalesnik said the Carbon EMA and Carbon Local Emergency Planning Committee conducts a commodity flow study every five years.

“This is an extensive and detailed study of types and quantities of hazardous materials that pass through our county by both roadway and rail,” he said.

The next study will begin in 2024, Nalesnik said.

During his career, Matz said he’s responded to one minor derailment.

“Several residents of Schuylkill who are members of a regional Incident Management Team did operate at the train derailment in Bedford County back in 2017,” Matz said.

In that incident, a CSX train carrying hazardous materials derailed near a community, caught on fire, and prompted evacuations.