This morning,January 5, 2006, a northbound VRE commuter train derailed at Possum Point, VA which is just north of Quantico, VA, and a few passengers were injured, but none were injured seriously according to news accounts. The derailed train was on CSX’s ( RF&P sub) Fredericksburg line, and it shut down the line during most of the day. From the TV news clips the train derailed after cleariing a switch back to double track, and the cars remained upright; the CSX line goes to single track to cross the Quantico Bay. One track was reopened by this evening, but passengers were told to expect delays because the CSX’s former RF&P line is very busy what with Amtrak trains, VRE trains north of Fredericksburg, and CSX freights.
Earlier in the day VRE annulled all of its trains on the Fredericksburg line while Amtrak bussed its passengers between Richmond and Washington. However it detoured the Auto Train over the Buckingham Branch Railroad from Doswell to Gordonsville and Orange. The Auto train then ran on the NS from Orange to Alexandria instead of waiting out the clearence and the reconstruction of the RF&P sub.
The NTSB is investigating this derailment, but it still raises the question, why have there been so many derailments on CSX lately? CSX has had two derailments in one week.