A freight train operated by Norfolk Southern derailed in Lexington, North Carolina, early on Saturday.
“One of our trains traveling through Lexington derailed this morning. Of the train’s 132 cars, 1 [set of wheels] has derailed,” a Norfolk Southern spokesperson said in a statement to Fox Digital.
Citing the Norfolk Southern Police Department, WITN reported the derailment occurred between the 319.6 and 320.9 mileposts.
The Amtrak Alerts Twitter account noted that another train, Piedmont Train 75, “stopped in Greensboro (GRO) due to a disabled freight train blocking the tracks ahead.”
Piedmont Train 75 is now stopped in Greensboro (GRO) due to a disabled freight train blocking the tracks ahead. We will update as more information becomes available.
— Amtrak Alerts (@AmtrakAlerts) February 25, 2023
An Amtrak representative said that train 75 arrived at its destination in Charlotte, NC, at 3:40 p.m., running two and a half hours behind schedule and that a second train had been delayed as well, per WITN.
Amtrak Alerts later indicated Piedmont Train 76 was “operating approx. 2hrs and 10mis late, due to freight train interference.”
UPDATE: Piedmont Train 76, is now currently operating approx. 2hrs and 10mis late, due to freight train interference.
— Amtrak Alerts (@AmtrakAlerts) February 25, 2023
The Norfolk Southern spokesperson told Fox Digital that a cleanup is underway but the derailment doesn’t seem to have prompted a response by hazmat crews.
“There are no reports of a hazmat situation or danger to the public. Our crew is safe and additional personnel are on their way to begin cleanup. We appreciate the public’s patience and care near this area during the cleanup work,” the Norfolk Southern spokesperson said.
This incident comes after the more serious Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine Ohio on February 3. The National Transportation Safety Board noted in a preliminary report noted the Ohio derailment involved a train carrying “20 placarded hazardous materials tank cars transporting combustible liquids, flammable liquids, and flammable gas, including vinyl chloride.”
Both the railroad and federal transportation authorities have faced widespread criticism in the weeks since the derailment.
In particular, as Breitbart News noted, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg came under fire for waiting more two weeks before publicly committing to visit East Palestine
You can follow Michael Foster on Twitter at @realmfoster.
