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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

HQ-2019-1371

Document Series:
Accident Investigations
Author:
  • Office of Railroad Safety
Accident Date
Accident Type
Head End Collision (HEC)
Railroad Name
Norfolk Southern Railway Company
Location

Bonsack, VA
United States

Accident Number
HQ-2019-1371
Investigation Status
Finalized
Subject:
Accident Investigations
Keywords:
Norfolk Southern; Head End Collision; Wrong Track; Bonsack, Virginia; Roanoke, Virginia; Hi-rail Dump Truck; and Roadway Maintenance Machine.
Document
HQ-2019-1371.pdf (441.97 KB)

On November 21, 2019, at about 11:15 a.m., EST, a westbound Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) intermodal train 22AV121 (Train 1) struck an eastbound hi-rail dump truck, Roadway Maintenance Machine 310609, traveling on Main Track 1 at Milepost (MP) N250.3. The hi-rail dump truck was operating on the wrong track. The collision site is one mile east of Bonsack, Virginia, in Roanoke County. Bonsack, Virginia is an unincorporated community located northeast of the city of Roanoke. The train consisted of 3 locomotives and 45 mixed-freight cars with 40 loaded cars and 5 empty cars. The train was 9,232 feet long with 8,665 trailing tons. No cars derailed. The train had nine hazardous materials cars. No track was damaged from this collision; damage to the lead engine was $33 and the hi-rail dump truck was $10,533. The operator of the hi-rail dump truck was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital and received seven stiches to close a wound on his forehead.