NTSB cites rail fracture as cause of CSX coal train derailment; two trespassers killed

ELLICOTT CITY, MD. The National Safety Transportation Board has issued a final investigation on the cause of a CSX train derailment. Two people who had climbed a fence to sit on a railroad bridge were killed by spilled coal from the derailed train cars.

On August 20, 2012, about 11:54 p.m. eastern daylight time, an eastbound CSX Transportation (CSXT) coal train, U81318, derailed the first 21 cars at milepost (MP) 12.9 while crossing the railroad bridge over Main Street on the Old Main Line (OML) Subdivision in Ellicott City, Maryland.