It was not immediately clear what caused the derailment of the train, which was heading to Hamlet, North Carolina, from Cumberland, Maryland. Workers, including those who specialize in hazardous materials, were at the site.
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Tuesday’s train 29 to Chicago will begin in Pittsburgh, not Washington, and its train 30 from Chicago will stop in Pittsburgh and not continue to Washington.
CSX officials said the derailment involved three locomotives, 175 total cars, including 94 carrying mixed freight and 81 empty cars.
CSX said about 750 gallons of sodium hydroxide were spilled as a result of the derailment. Mayor Muriel Bowser said at an earlier news conference that officials were not sure how much spilled. Sodium hydroxide, also known as corrosive lye, is used to produce various household products including paper, soap and detergents, CSX said. The line will run as far south as Silver Spring and from there passengers can transfer to Metro at no charge for their commute to the District. Transit officials said in a statement that passengers should expect the limited trains MARC is running to be very crowded.
CSX officials haven’t said how long the cleanup might take.
On Monday, Metro released surveillance video of the CSX train derailment that happened at around 6:40 a.m. Sunday from one of its cameras on the platform of the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood station. An Amtrak spokeswoman said the railroad was transporting passengers by bus between Washington and Pittsburgh to connect with trains going to or coming from Chicago until the track reopens.
CSX says ethanol from one derailed vehicle and sodium hydroxide from another derailed auto are being offloaded so that the cars can be removed from the site.
A freight train has derailed in Washington DC, spilling hazardous liquid, but no injuries were reported and no evacuation orders were issued, according to BBC. That will involve removing some of the tracks in the area, excavating and replacing soil with clean material, then rebuilding the tracks.
The railroad says ongoing air monitoring shows no negative effect on air quality.
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Sixteen railcars jumped the tracks Sunday morning near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station, causing chemical leaks from three of the cargo containers. She said CSX understands that this is a “significant inconvenience to commuters” and is working as quickly and safely as possible.
