Spanberger urges federal investigation and evaluation of rail operations in Fredericksburg area following CSX freight train derailment

Congressman: “This is not the first time the community of Fredericksburg has faced challenges or residents have raised concerns about rail operations”

Washington, DC — U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger today urged the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to conduct a thorough investigation and assessment of regional rail infrastructure after a freight train derailed and damaged homes in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Virginia’s Seventh District.

On the evening of July 20, 2024, five cars of a CSX Transportation freight train derailed, leveling a building and causing significant damage to a residential complex and private property of Virginia citizens. Last week, Spanberger met with city of Fredericksburg officials at the scene of last month's derailment and visited the nearby CSX station in Fredericksburg's Mayfield neighborhood. Spanberger, local officials and community members discussed CSX's response in the weeks since the incident and the community's longstanding safety concerns about the Mayfield station – including the proximity of the main rail line to the homes on Railroad Avenue and the storage of tank cars containing hazardous and flammable materials for indefinite periods of time.

In a letter to Amit Bose, head of the Federal Railroad Administration, Spanberger called on the FRA to conduct both an incident review of the CSX derailment and a comprehensive assessment of rail infrastructure, safety protocols and the proximity of the tracks to residential areas throughout the Fredericksburg area. In addition, the congresswoman highlighted the safety and environmental concerns brought to her attention by residents – and the increased community concerns following last month's derailment. Spanberger also underscored the need for the FRA to work closely with the city of Fredericksburg and local authorities on an assessment of rail service in the region.

“Given that the July 20 derailment involved out-of-control cars and caused property damage to residents’ garages, the FRA should launch an investigation into the derailment to ensure that a similar incident does not occur again,” said Spanberger. “In addition, it is important to note that this is not the first time the Fredericksburg community has faced challenges or that residents have raised concerns related to rail operations in the city. Residents of the Mayfield neighborhood have long been vocal about the safety and environmental impacts of CSX's rail operations – particularly the risks associated with transporting and storing hazardous products in tank cars near the neighborhood for extended periods of time, as well as the proximity of rail lines to their homes.”

Spanberger continued: “The residents of Fredericksburg have a right to feel safe in their homes. These long-standing concerns, along with last month's derailment, require a holistic study of the area to determine the risks present before another incident occurs and to make recommendations for necessary improvements that will improve the overall safety of rail operations in Fredericksburg.”

Click here to read the letter. The full text of the letter is below.

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Dear Administrator Bose,

On July 20, 2024, a CSX Transportation train derailed in Fredericksburg, Virginia. According to CSX, this derailment occurred due to an out-of-control CSX rail car that was not adequately secured. The derailment reportedly occurred when the out-of-control rail car struck a derailment device and, as a result, destroyed a sound barrier and residential garages at the Cobblestone Square Apartments. This incident, coupled with long-standing concerns from community members about CSX operations in the area, has caused serious distress to families living in Fredericksburg. Accordingly, I am writing to respond to the City of Fredericksburg's requests for a more thorough investigation of last month's derailment and to request that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) conduct an incident review of the CSX freight train derailment as well as an audit of rail operations in the City.

Last week, I visited the site of the derailment. During my visit, I spoke with local officials about the incident, the impact on the Fredericksburg community, how to prevent a similar derailment in the future, and community members' long-standing concerns about CSX's activities in the area. The magnitude of this event – and the potential for a worst-case, deadly scenario – has shocked our neighbors, and we must take every step to provide accountability, safety, and peace of mind to the Fredericksburg community.

I understand that your administration generally investigates incidents involving runaway equipment and derailments of a large number of cars that cause major property damage. Given that the July 20 derailment involved runaway cars and caused property damage to residents' garages, the FRA should open an investigation into the derailment to ensure that a similar incident does not occur again.

Additionally, it is important to note that this is not the first time the Fredericksburg community has faced challenges or that residents have raised concerns related to rail operations in the city. Residents of the Mayfield neighborhood have long been vocal about the safety and environmental impacts of CSX's rail operations – particularly the risks associated with transporting and storing hazardous products in tank cars near the neighborhood for extended periods of time, as well as the proximity of rail lines to their homes. In 2021, the Fredericksburg City Council unanimously passed a resolution protesting CSX's practice of storing tank cars containing hazardous materials in the city and calling on CSX to cease this practice. Although the presence of hazardous tank cars in the neighborhood has significantly decreased since fall 2022, city officials have pointed out that CSX has made no guarantees to permanently cease storing these tank cars in Mayfield.

Since the July 20 incident, these concerns have only increased. Therefore, in addition to investigating the incident, I am calling on FRA to conduct a comprehensive assessment of rail infrastructure, safety protocols, and the proximity of rail lines to residential areas in the Fredericksburg area. Fredericksburg residents deserve to feel safe in their homes. These long-standing concerns, along with last month's derailment, require a holistic study of the area to determine existing risks before another incident occurs and to make recommendations for necessary improvements that will increase the overall safety of rail transportation in Fredericksburg. FRA's objective and thorough investigation is critical to providing much-needed clarity and reassurance to the public.

Finally, it is critical that FRA work directly with the City of Fredericksburg – which has raised concerns about CSX's operations and the need for an independent investigation – to understand the impact of this derailment and the historical context of railroad problems in the region. The hardworking Virginians who serve the Fredericksburg community and neighboring towns and call this region home are an invaluable resource.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your reply.

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