Tacoma, Washington – Train Derailment Causes Road Blockage

Tacoma, Washington (October 24, 2019) – A train carrying a load of soybeans caused a temporary blockage after derailing near the area of North Schuster Parkway and South 4th Street on Thursday night. Fortunately no injuries were reported in the incident.

According to the report, the incident occurred around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday night. The train, which was on its way to a grain elevator, derailed while traveling at a speed of 4-5 mph. A total of four cars were loaded with soybeans in the incident, and two fell onto their sides causing a substantial amount of soybeans to be spilled in the area. The incident caused one lane of Schuster Parkway to be blocked for most of the day. By Friday the fallen cars turned upright and the spill had been cleaned. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

About Train Accidents

While train accidents can be deadly, they are among the safest forms of transportation, with a fatality rate much lower than car or motorcycle accidents. Derailments, which can lead to many train-related accidents, are said to be common but are most likely harmless, with trains only causing damage or injuries if the derailment causes the train to crash into a structure or another train. However, while riding the train is relatively safe, a collision with one is likely to be deadly. This is because trains can weigh over millions of pounds. According to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, the average freight train consisting of 100 cars can weigh from 12 million to twenty million pounds – this weight combined with the speed of a train can cause great impact. Additionally, this weight also delays the effect of an emergency brake, which may need distance of over a mile to fully halt a train. Because of this, it is important to always remain alert near railroads.

While trains have many safety features, it is everyone’s responsibility to be safe around tracks. Keeping in mind that trains cannot swerve nor quickly stop, so pedestrians and drivers alike must take care to keep off tracks when a rain is approaching. Never underestimate the speed of an oncoming train, which may look like it’s approaching slowly due to optical illusions. Lastly, one must always watch out for the presence of a second train. By keeping alert and following regulations, we can help avoid train accidents from happening.

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