RAILROAD ACCIDENT REPORT: SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY TRAIN 154 DERAILMENT WITH FIRE AND EXPLOSION LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI JANUARY 25, 1969

Southern Railway train 154 was wrecked at Laurel, Mississippi on January 25, 1969 at about 4:15 a.m., when 15 tank cars of liquefied petroleum gas derailed. The train, with four diesel-electric locomotive units, 139 cars and caboose was moving northward at about 30 mph when the west wheel on the lead truck of the 62nd car in the train broke. The wheel which broke as it was passing over the crossing of the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio Railroad, derailed about 256 feet north of the crossing, and the train continued northward for about 2,146 feet before the 62nd car and 14 loaded tank cars behind it were derailed. Most of the tanks were mechanically damaged by the derailment resulting in an immediate violent eruption of fire and explosion. Two fatalities resulted from injuries caused by the fires and explosions after the wreck, 33 persons were hospitalized. Property damage in the town was extensive and total damage to Southern Railway track, equipment and lading was estimated at about $3,000,000.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1969

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: 74 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash investigation; Crash reports; Derailments; Explosions; Failure; Fatalities; Fires; Fracture mechanics; Hazardous materials; Liquefied petroleum gas; Tank cars; Wheels
• Old TRIS Terms: Wheel failure
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00080102
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Transportation Safety Board
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 16 1976 12:00AM