RAILROAD ACCIDENT REPORT - DERAILMENT OF TOLEDO, PEORIA, AND WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY'S TRAIN NO 20 WITH RESULTANT FIRE AND TANK CAR RUPTURES - CRESCENT CITY, ILLINOIS - JUNE 21, 1970

DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT ARE GIVEN; THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD DETERMINED THAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE BREAKING OF THE L-4 JOURNAL OF CB&Q 182544, THE 20TH CAR, DUE TO EXCESSIVE OVERHEATING, WHICH PERMITTED THE TRUCK SIDE TO DROP TO THE TRACK AND DERAIL THE LEADING WHEELS OF THE CAR. THE CAUSE OF THE OVERHEATING COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE CAUSE OF THE INITIAL FIRE WAS THE PUNCTURING OF ONE TANK DURING THE DERAILMENT, JUMBLING OF THE DERAILED CARS, AND THE LARGE VOLUME OF PROPANE RELEASED WHICH IMMEDIATELY IGNITED AND SUBJECTED THE OTHER TANKS TO IMPINGEMENT OF FIRES.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • NTSB-RAR-72-2
• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1970-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 47 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash causes; Fires; Flammable liquids; Railroad cars; Railroad trains
• Uncontrolled Terms: Overheating
• Subject Areas: Highways; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221795
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 15 1973 12:00AM