17 October 2023
RAYMOND, Minn. — A broken rail was responsible for the fiery derailment of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway train and the night-time evacuation of about 800 Raymond residents on March 30 in near zero-degree weather, according to a recently released report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
“As a result of the physical evidence, NTSB staff has determined that the in-service rail failure (broken rail) that caused this accident was related to a rail head surface condition,” the report said.
The investigation and evidence “indicate that track-train dynamics worsened a rail head surface condition until a complete sectional break out of the rail head occurred” underneath the train, according to the report synopsis.
The NTSB previously reported that a section of fractured track was sent to a BNSF laboratory in Topeka, Kan., on the day following the derailment and was being examined as part of the investigation into the derailment.
The derailment was reported at 12:58 a.m. as the train approached the western edge of Raymond while traveling northeast toward Willmar. The temperature was 3 degrees. The train had originated in Marshall and loaded at the ADM facility there.
According to the report, the train of 40 loaded cars and two locomotives was traveling at 43 mph in a 49-mph section of track when the derailment occurred.
Twenty-three freight cars were derailed on their sides, and 10 derailed in an accordion style near the point of derailment.
Five of the derailed cars contained denatured alcohol and released material.
Two of the cars holding alcohol sustained punctured shells and ignited. The fire caused thermal damage to the manway gaskets on the three other tank cars, which released more ethanol and spread the fire. Each of the five cars held 28,9000 gallons of ethanol.
The report noted that a previous NTSB investigation had identified issues related to the performance of the tank car thermal protection systems for the gaskets used in the cars. The NTSB issued seven safety recommendations related to that previous investigation.
Eleven fire departments responded to the Raymond derailment.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the derailment site. Local authorities noted at a press conference following the event that it had the potential of being far worse had the derailment occurred to the east of the site, closer to homes and businesses.