Tag: Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Coal Train Derailment Blocks Highway

WVDOH said the highway could be closed overnight. The train cars crushed several vehicles at an adjacent towing service.

A Norfolk Southern coal train derailed in Wyoming County early Friday. No injuries were reported, but the incident blocked U.S. 52, according to the state Division of Highways.

Connor Spielmaker, a spokesman for Norfolk Southern, said 17 cars of a 110-car train derailed near Gilbert. Railroad personnel are on site and working on cleanup.

WVDOH said the highway should be cleared by Friday night.
The train cars crushed several vehicles at an adjacent towing service.

Also Friday, President Joe Biden signed a bill ordering railroad workers not to go on strike.

Some rail unions had rejected a contract negotiated between labor leaders and the White House. Congress intervened and passed the measure quickly this week.

A rail strike could have disrupted coal shipments, consumer goods, food products and Amtrak passengers.

Union's Rejection Of Labor Pact Renews Rail Strike Threat

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees rejected a contract that increases their pay.

A key railroad labor union has voted down a deal with rail companies, again raising the possibility of a strike.

That could be disruptive in West Virginia.

CSX and Norfolk Southern trains move West Virginia coal to the ports of Baltimore, and Norfolk and Newport News, Virginia. Without them, coal shipments would be stranded and couldn’t reach overseas markets.

A rail strike could also disrupt the movement of consumer goods from ports to retail stores just ahead of the holidays.

Amtrak service in West Virginia, the Capitol Limited and the Cardinal, would also be affected.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees rejected a contract that increases their pay. Rail workers say the contract doesn’t go far enough to address quality of life concerns — paid sick leave is a big one.

To avoid a strike, they’ll have to reach an agreement before Thanksgiving.

Coal Shipments Continue To Hit Rail Roadblocks, Lawmakers Say

For months, coal has been in high demand. But the region’s coal producers have not been able to take full advantage. They say poor rail service constrains them.

In the spring, coal producers told lawmakers that railroads weren’t providing adequate service. In a legislative meeting on Sunday, those complaints continued.

For months, coal has been in high demand. But the region’s coal producers have not been able to take full advantage. They say poor rail service constrains them.

That’s what state legislators told Department of Transportation officials Sunday at a meeting of a joint legislative oversight commission for the department.

Del. Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, told DOT officials that he’s at least gotten updates from CSX, which blankets about two thirds of West Virginia.

Linville said he hasn’t received any information from the state’s other major rail carrier, Norfolk Southern.

“We will be happy to use the power the legislature has, the power that we as chairs have and that we may be able to bestow to you all to hold these railroads accountable,” he said.

State governments have limited power over railroads, which are regulated at the federal level.

Railroads say they lack a sufficient number of workers. They eliminated a lot of jobs during the worst of the pandemic. They also haven’t invested in coal infrastructure in several years.

Now, they’re facing pressure on two fronts. First, electricity use increased last year, driving demand for coal.

Second, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has increased demand for U.S. coal, but the trains that connect the mines to the ports haven’t been moving fast enough to meet it.

Power Plants Running Low On Coal Ahead Of Summer Peak, Industry Tells Regulators

Representatives from the coal industry testified in Washington Wednesday about rail service issues that could put a strain on the nation's power grid.

Representatives from the coal industry testified in Washington Wednesday about rail service issues that could put a strain on the nation’s power grid.

Coal use saw a resurgence last year, as higher natural gas prices and a stronger economy created more demand for electricity generated from coal.

But coal producers and consumers struggled to take advantage of those favorable conditions because of poor rail service, industry leaders told the Surface Transportation Board.

Coal shipments have been delayed because of lack of train crews, lack of locomotives and cars, and because of mechanical problems, they said.

“We would have run out if we had not curtailed generation at our coal-fired facilities,” said Emily Regis, fuel services manager for Arizona Electric Cooperative.

John Ward, executive director of the National Coal Transportation Association, testified that 75 percent of power plants nationwide have less than 40 days of coal stockpiled. He said 20 percent of power plants have less than 10 days of coal on hand.

“Dozens of generating units have been idled or are operating at very low capacity today as utilities attempt to conserve fuel for summer demand that is right around the corner,” he said.

Late last year, coal stockpiles fell to their lowest since 1978, Ward told members of the board.

The summer and winter months are when demand for electricity peaks. The rail service problems have affected other industries as well, including agriculture and manufacturing.

The Surface Transportation Board also heard from railroad labor organizations and executives. It could impose conditions on the railroads to improve service, but it is not yet clear what those might be.

Appalachian Power and Mon Power are among the utilities that have struggled to maintain an adequate supply of coal. CSX and Norfolk Southern are the primary rail companies in Appalachia.

Coal generated 22 percent of the nation’s electricity in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Appalachian Power is an underwriter of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Cars on Coal Train En Route to Va. Derail in W.Va.

  Crews are cleaning up after a dozen cars of a coal train destined for export from Virginia derailed in southern West Virginia.
 
A spokesman for Norfolk Southern Corp. says the cars derailed late Tuesday in Rock, which is located in Mercer County. The 12 cars were among 180 being hauled to Norfolk to be exported.

Norfolk Southern spokesman Robin Chapman says there were no injuries and the cause of the derailment is being investigated.
 
Chapman said crews are expected to clean up the mess and get the cars back on track by Thursday 

Raleigh County Man Killed By Train

Police are investigating the death of a Raleigh County man who was hit by a Norfolk Southern Railroad train.

 
 The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department reports 49-year-old Ricky Lee Gray of Eccles,WV was killed on impact.
 

The accident occurred around 12:30 Sunday afternoon near the town of Surveyor.

 
Police say the engineer attempted to warn Gray and tried to stop the train, which consisted of six locomotives.

 
 Norfolk Southern Railroad Police are assisting the sheriff’s department in the investigation.

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