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Official: Rail flex likely cause of accident

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Photos: Train derails on broken track

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A U.S. Rail train derailed across B Street in Hamilton near the intersection of Gordon Ave. The train was on its way to deliver pulp to SMART Papers Thursday Dec. 3, 2009.

Staff photo by Greg Lynch A U.S. Rail train derailed across B Street in Hamilton near the intersection of Gordon Ave. The train was on its way to deliver pulp to SMART Papers Thursday Dec. 3, 2009.

No one injured as train derails, blocking street for hours

By Richard Wilson, Staff Writer Updated 1:42 AM Friday, December 4, 2009

HAMILTON — Weather and poor railroad track maintenance may be to blame for a train derailment that shut down North B Street for hours Thursday, Dec. 3.

No one was injured when a U.S. Rail locomotive and boxcar, working under contract with SMART Papers, went off the tracks near Gordon Avenue at around 11:30 a.m.

While pushing three boxcars south on the track across the intersection, conductor Lynn Hubbard said the rails pushed out and the boxcar connected to the locomotive came off the track. Hubbard said he didn’t feel a jolt until the locomotive was dragged off the track, cutting a groove into the pavement.

Cincinnati-based Godby Rail Services was called to use rerailing equipment to get the locomotive back on track and out of the road. Danny Pabst of Godby said the derailment was likely caused by the cold temperatures and the previous day’s rain. Those conditions may have caused the railroad ties to expand and the rails to flex, he said.

“Maybe they’ll fix the tracks now,” said nearby resident Dale Gabbard, who brought his grandson out to look at the immobile train.

Gabbard and other residents at the scene said all of the rail intersections along B Street need to be repaired.

“A lot of tracks around Hamilton are really bad,” he said. “You drive over it and it feels like your vehicle’s going to fall apart.”

Although B Street has reopened, Sgt. Tom Kilgour, Hamilton police spokesman, said on Thursday afternoon the condition of the road may cause problems for motorists crossing the intersection.

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Would it be possible for "Smart" to sell off sections. They could work a deal with the city, and county. Then upgrade into a manufacturing complex for upstart companies.
The area would get fixed. New jobs would be created.

Don
2:13 PM, 12/4/2009

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to Bob in Louisiana....
for your info "BOB" smart took over in 1996 when thier was 2500 people in 2001 they fired everyone and by 2009 there is little over 100 employees..If you noticed "BOB" its bad everywhere so before you comment you should find out about the company that your talking about and trust me work here for a week and you will find out how sad the union and smart paper was for the people that worked here..smart took there retirement away and layed off..Bet Louisiana isnt betteroff

rock
8:29 AM, 12/4/2009

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I used to work for the B&O on those very tracks back in the good old days when it was a joy to go to work everyday and the company appreciated it. Then the railroad mergers began and the sorry labor unions sold employees out and you see the wreckage of what's left behind now. Up hill slow and down hill fast, scab company's first and safety last. Contact Federal Railway Administration , Ohio Public Utilities Commission and report rotten cross-tie ,wide track gauge unsafe operating conditions

gandy dancer
6:22 PM, 12/3/2009

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my father is dale, and we live by the tracks, theres no way to avoid them, unless take an alternative route, but that will cost us more gasoline, and then we would have to spend more money. most of the school buses if not everyone has to travel over the same tracks, in the long run, it is causing more problems. there is another building, and they could of used it for paper, instead they are selling it. it could of been a useful building. the tracks need to be fixed before we are completely poor

sarah
5:30 PM, 12/3/2009

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I don't see why Smart even needs those tracks. What do they produce, 1 or 2 rolls of paper a week? What are they down to,15 employees now. The only reason they keep the doors open is for the new power plant they spent a million dollars on. It has to be attached to an industry to run, due to zoning laws. I wish they would just rip those tracks out, and while they are at it tear that whole big eyesore down. That place is a dump. Put a casino there. Prime riverfront property!!!!!

Former Smart Employee
4:36 PM, 12/3/2009

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