Another train derailment in Darby Borough! What the heck is going on? In February of 2000, the CSX Corporation experienced the 5th derailment in less than 2 weeks in Darby Borough at the same location. Even a novice like me, can figure out that something is definitely wrong with this picture.
Two hours after the 5th derailment, CSX was ready to roll again. I questioned how they can just get up and continue on without investigating why the derailment occurred. Their reply was "because we are the railroad that's why". Now what kind of an answer is that? A shoddy one. So I asked the officials if the tracks were safe for train passage. Of course they are was the reply. So, I asked for their answer in writing. They refused. That's when I took matters into my own hands. I blocked the tracks. I put my 1980 Dodge Diplomat on the tracks and told them they couldn't go through the town.
I don't think they liked that very much. Three hours later, one of the "head honcho's" of CSX was flown into the mobile command center that was set up. He told me that I had to remove my car and explained that he had a train load of Tropicana that was due in New York City. In return, I told him I had to guarantee the safety of 12000 residents which meant more than a train load of Tropicana. They didn't like that either.
As the day went on, more executives from CSX and the FRA arrived to try to talk me out of blocking the tracks. Didn't work. Finally at 1:30 AM, the FRA decided to walk the tracks and do a visual inspection. I promised to move my car if they certified in writing that the tracks were safe. Well, I went for the visual inspection with the FRA. I noticed the brackets holding the rails in place had 4 holes for railroad spikes. Most of the brackets had only one spike and three empty holes. Some brackets had NO spikes.
I asked the FRA if this was the reason why the trains were derailing. "Of course not" was the reply. Shortly after two o'clock in the morning, the FRA certified in writing the tracks were safe for trains to pass on at ten miles per hour, no more. So, I removed my car and the trains once again rolled through the tiny town of Darby.
Not trusting CSX or the FRA, I began to monitor the trains daily, almost hourly. The trains were going much faster than 10 MPH. I timed them with the timing device the police department uses. Trains were clocked at 57 MPH! 47 MPH more than what was safe. Time to shut them down again! Knowing the Federal Government and CSX and how they operate, I decided to ensure that appropriate measures would be taken to safeguard our residents.
I called every news station and reporter around. I invited them to come out and witness the trains speeding in violation of the FRA's inspection. Footage was filmed of trains exceeding 55 MPH. I then called down to CSX Corporate Headquarters in Jacksonville and notified them the trains were once again restricted from passing through Darby. I put my Dodge back on the tracks.
They weren't too happy. I found out later, that each time I did that, it cost CSX over $150,000.00 per hour! Oops! Well, you can't put a price on a life, I figured, so they would have to deal with it.
Each time CSX violated the agreement, I blocked them. When they finally corrected their speed, they found another way to jeopardize the safety of Darby residents. They began to "park" their trains in the middle of town, cutting the town in half.
"We absolutely apologize for the inconveniences the community has been through," said CSX spokesman Bob Sullivan
On Feb. 24, CSX regional vice president Robert Downing issued an internal memo prohibiting the company's trains from blocking intersections. So I moved the car. But, true to CSX Corporate form, that didn't last too long either. Off to Federal Court we went. A federal judge directed CSX to "operate its trains with reasonable regard" to Darby Borough's concerns about "unnecessary blockages" that occur when trains stop, closing intersections to local traffic. This was good news, but with good news, comes bad. The judge also ordered that if I interfered with the movement of CSX trains through the borough, I could be found in contempt of court.
The court order, signed by U.S. District Judge James McGirr Kelly, says future remedies for grievances against CSX should be sought from the "appropriate federal agencies," such as the Federal Railroad Administration and the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. That's all well and good, but sometimes grievances against Corporate America to Federal Agencies, fall upon deaf ears... unless you hit them in the pocketbook.
Stoppages continued, and school children had to resort to climbing under the trains or on top of them to get to and from school. So, I blocked the tracks again...and again. With national attention now focused on the problem, I began to receive correspondence from all over the nation from different people with similar problems. Some ended in tragedy like 15 year old Eddie from Western Pennsylvania. He was killed while he was sleeping in his bed by a CSX Train that derailed and knocked his house fifteen feet off it's foundation!
Because of the national exposure, Congress held hearings and investigations. It was determined that 66% of the tracks on the east coast were defective because they had insufficient rail ties! Wow! Translated, does that mean there should have been 4 railroad ties in each of the brackets holding the rail ties down? Yes it sure does!
As of today, because of the actions of one tiny town that stood firm and demanded railroad safety and accountability, many lives have been saved. All it takes is a 1980 Dodge Diplomat and a committed person to enforce safety for the good of all.
