Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) northbound freight Train Symbol MH0YC02 derailed near Benton, Illinois at 2:24 a.m., c.s.t., on December 4, 2006. The result was the derailment of 2 trailing locomotives and 19 cars. Hazardous materials tank Car No. GATX 203578, loaded with Alkyl Phenols Liquid N.O.S., 8,UN 3145, PG III, was buried beneath an empty lumber center-beam flat car, but there was no release of hazardous materials. Two adjacent tank cars north of it contained lube oil and small amounts of oil were released to the ground in the area of the hazardous tank car. The lube oil had a slight odor. A precautionary one-half mile radius evacuation was ordered by the Christopher and West Frankfort, Illinois, Fire Departments which remained in effect until 4 p.m., December 4, 2006. The derailment was caused by a broken rail. At the time of the accident, the weather was dark and clear with a temperature of 5 degrees Fahrenheit and a mild northeastern wind. Monetary damages include $736,286 for equipment and a total of $166,025 for both track and signal.
Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Headquarters Assigned Accident Investigation Report HQ-2006-95, Union Pacific, Benton, Illinois, December 4, 2006
2006
6 pages
Report
No indication
English
Railroad Transportation , Transportation Safety , Metropolitan Rail Transportation , Accident investigations , Railroad trains , Railroad passenger service , Illinois , Commuter transportation , Derailment , Accident Investigation Report HQ-2006-95 , Benton(Illinios) , Union Pacific , Train symbol MH0YC02