CSX Safety Train Prepares First Responders for Potential Rail Accidents

Indiana first responders today Thursday attended a training session at the CSX rail yard in Indianapolis. It took place aboard the CSX Safety Train—a fleet of rail cars designed to give first responders a hands-on experience dealing with potential train accidents involving hazardous materials. 

The Safety Train: Energy Preparedness Program is run by railroad operator CSX. The train is made up of a locomotive, four tank cars and a flat—each car designed to familiarize first responders with rail cars and to know how to work with them in case of an emergency.

CSX Medial Relations Director Rob Doolittle says rising domestic energy production has put a spotlight on rail safety.

“Certainly there’s more attention on the volume of crude oil that’s moving by rail through the United States today," Doolittle says. "The risks aren’t necessarily any higher, but the public interest and interest among the first responders is higher. So, CSX has expanded our outreach to the communities where we operate in response to their concerns to make sure the first responders and the public safety agencies have the information they need in the event there is an incident.”

Indiana State Senator Jim Merritt agrees. He says increased rail transportation of energy-related products requires proper training for local first responders.

"There is so much energy being placed on the rails these days," Merritt says. "Any type of fluid, any type of coal, any type of fuel—that we have to be extra careful about how that’s moved and understand that every community has concerns and we need to answer those concerns."

Indianapolis is the Safety Train’s seventeenth stop since the program began in May. Doolittle says the program expects to train about 180 Indiana first responders during its three-day stop here.