Dear Neighbors:
In light of the CSX derailment that occurred near the Rhode Island Metro station on May 1, we want to re-state to you our commitment to protecting the safety of the Virginia Avenue community while we undertake the important work of rebuilding the Virginia Avenue Tunnel.
The safety of the communities where we operate and our employees are CSX’s highest priorities. CSX’s commitment to safety is built on a foundation of significant investment in the maintenance and improvement of our infrastructure and equipment, the deployment of technology to monitor the mechanical condition of our equipment, and extensive training of our employees in the safe operation of trains. These investments have helped consistently make CSX one of the nation’s safest freight railroads, and have contributed to an 80 percent reduction in the number of railroad accidents industry-wide since 1980.
The company’s processes for transporting hazardous materials comply with all federal regulations, including those of the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security. As required by federal regulation, movements of hazardous materials are routed in accordance with an analytical tool that takes into account 27 factors about potential routes. This routing tool assigns weighting to such factors as the distance between shipping points, urban areas traversed, proximity to iconic locations and more than 20 other safety and security considerations to determine the safest and most-secure route for each shipment. The hazardous materials CSX transports are key inputs for many manufacturing processes and consumer goods, and CSX complies with its common carrier obligation to move any freight tendered in the appropriate federally approved rail car.
Consistent with the routing tool, CSX does not move certain categories of hazardous materials through the District, including the Virginia Avenue Tunnel. Those categories include materials that are toxic or poisonous by inhalation and certain classes of explosives. CSX does move empty rail cars that may have previously contained such materials through the District, consistent with federal regulations. CSX’s compliance with these rules is regularly audited by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and those audits have confirmed that CSX’s shipments of hazardous materials through the District are in compliance with its regulations. The District’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) also has full access to CSX’s SecureNOW system which provides nearly real-time information on every train and car that transits the District and surrounding region on CSX’s system.
In addition, CSX regularly conducts training with first responders to ensure the highest level of coordination and familiarity with railroad equipment and the hazardous materials we carry. While their need to act is rare, we are very appreciative of the District’s first responders’ efforts and glad to see the training executed so efficiently.
CSX remains committed to operating freight trains only in enclosed tunnels in front of Virginia Avenue residences during the tunnel-construction process. As you may recall, that commitment reflects community feedback that we received during the tunnel-project approval process, which resulted in a change in the construction sequencing.
We hope this information addresses questions you may have about CSX’s operations in the District.
If you have any questions about the tunnel project or construction progress, you can reach us by email at VAT@CSX.COM, by phone at (800) 494-1049, or in person at our regularly scheduled community meetings.
Sincerely,
CSX