Major Train Derailment Disrupts Amtrak Service and Closes Traffic in Upstate New York

It seems that train derailments are happening a lot more often and one just happened in the Mohawk Valley.

Authorities say a CSX train derailed next to State Route 5 in Amsterdam around 8 a.m. Friday morning. All Amtrak service west of Albany has been suspended, as has traffic near the crash scene.

Montgomery County Sheriff Jeff Smith shared on Facebook that the incident happened right next to State Highway 5.

A CSX train heading westbound had derailed, resulting in multiple cars scattered across all three tracks, obstructing the entire railway.

The train's two occupants were luckily uninjured. It was also reported that the tankers nor any of the debris made it onto the highway.

What happened?

The CSX train had been hauling 157 cars from Selkirk to Buffalo when it derailed in Montgomery County Friday morning. In all, 13 cars were affected and nine of them were empty tanks.

As explained by Smith:

The train was carrying several cars, including tank cars, and the train operators reported that the tank cars were empty of any hazardous materials, except for possible residual material left after offloading.

Both lanes of State Highway 5 were shut down so the Montgomery County Hazmat Team and Amsterdam Fire Department could investigate if any hazardous materials had been released.

Smith said there was no indication that they were.

Montgomery County Undersheriff Carl Rust backed up the initial report that at a news conference, saying, "Visually, nothing is leaking from these tankers."

At this time, they believe there is no threat to the public.

Drivers are urged to avoid the area in the meantime. Westbound traffic on State Highway 5 is up and running, but those heading eastbound will have to alter their route.

That strip of the highway will remain closed until further notice, with initial estimates saying the closure will last about two days. The New York Department of Transportation will have a detour in place.

As for Amtrak passengers heading toward Buffalo and Niagara Falls, the company is working on providing alternative transportation during the closure.

This is the second train to derail in NY in days

On Thursday, it was reported a Long Island Rail Road train derailed near the Jamaica station in Queens and "obliterated" about 1,600 feet of track.

Thirteen people were injured.

As of Friday afternoon, all 8 derailed cars have been removed from the tracks and repairs are underway to ensure minimal disruptions for Monday's commute.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber announced:

There’s 1,600 feet of track that has been obliterated. Nine-hundred feet of electric traction power, the third rail, that has to be replaced. Four-hundred concrete railroad ties that were wiped out that now need to be replaced. That's a 24/7 operation that is going to continue through the weekend.

But, with Friday's derailment happening within a span of 24 hours in New York, it has people wondering what the heck is going on and if they're safe.

Why trains derail

Roughly three train derailments happen in the U.S. every day, but the catastrophic incident in East Palestine, Ohio, from six months ago really thrust the issue into the spotlight.

While authorities are investigating what caused the incident in Amsterdam, the main causes of train derailments are said to be human error and equipment failure.

Other factors include collisions with another object, mechanical track failure, broken rails, defective wheels, and trains being too long.

The derailed CSX train had been hauling 157 cars.

As for whether or not that caused Friday's accident, that has yet to be determined.

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