The train that derailed on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at Cobblestone Square, an apartment complex in Fredericksburg, had been experiencing mechanical issues, so the train was parked at the city’s Virginia Railway Express (commuter rail) station before moving to its final destination in Richmond. The two crew members on board did not secure the train cars properly, resulting in five cars derailing, said Randy Marcus, a CSX spokesman during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Marcus said the crew’s whereabouts at the time of the derailing are not known, and the company plans to have them complete additional training and education programs. No one was injured in the derailment.
Marcus apologized for the incident and thanked Fredericksburg officials for their quick response and cooperation. Marcus noted that CSX has been working with Cobblestone Square’s property management team and has a dedicated Claims representative gathering information from the owners of damaged property.
Fredericksburg emergency crews first notified CSX of the incident. The city received calls to its 911 dispatch center and immediately sent police and fire vehicles to the scene.
Derail guards placed alongside the track worked correctly and stopped the cars from traveling further, said Marcus. He added that the sound wall, which was built by and is owned by Cobblestone Square Apartments, was too close to the derail guard. The apartment complex did not have a representative at the press conference.
The derailment damaged garages on the Cobblestone Square property. Marcus said the falling sound wall damaged the property, and that no rail cars struck the garages.
Marcus was unable to verify whether CSX is contacted when properties bordering train tracks are being developed but said CSX will be reviewing their rail lines to consider whether developed properties have any buildings, walls, or other features too close to the rails and derail guards.
Update July 23: City Council members will attend the CSX public statement on July 24. The event is at 3 p.m. in the gravel parking lot behind VRE Lots G and H. The entrance is at the corner of Prince Edward and Frederick Streets.
Mayor Kerry P. Devine addressed the recent train derailment behind Fredericksburg’s Cobblestone Square apartment complex, expressing concern for the community’s safety.
Mayor Devine commended the prompt response from local and mutual aid emergency services, noting no injuries were reported. The mayor emphasized the city’s commitment to a thorough and transparent investigation, with city leadership actively coordinating with federal and state officials, as well as CSX Transportation. She said she and the City Council “expect an investigation into how this derailment occurred and will continue to work to ensure that our community remains safeguarded against future emergencies along our rail lines.”
Mayor Devine assured residents that the city would continue to provide updates and encouraged everyone to subscribe to emergency alerts. Her full statement is available online.
A public address by CSX Transportation is scheduled for July 24th at 3 p.m. at the VRE parking lot near the incident.
Update 1:30 p.m. — CSX, the corporation that owns the railroad, just provided us with a statement. The incident involved no hazardous materials or injuries, with first responders swiftly addressing the situation while the cause is under investigation.
At approximately 9:00 p.m. yesterday , a CSX train derailed several rail cars near Cobblestone Dr. in Fredricksburg, VA. A garage structure adjacent to the rail line was impacted by the incident. No hazardous materials were involved and there were no reports of injuries. CSX appreciates the swift response of the Fredricksburg City first responders. The safety of response personnel and the surrounding community is our top priority as we work to recover the derailed cars and work to completely restore the area. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Updated 8 a.m. Sunday: A freight train derailed and collided with buildings at the Cobblestone Square apartment complex near the city’s train station. No one was injured.
More from Fredericksburg police:
On July 20, 2024, at approximately 8:50 p.m., the Fredericksburg Police Department’s E-911 Center received a call about a train derailment. Police officers and the fire department arrived at the scene, located at Cobblestone Square, at 8:54 p.m. They found that a CSX Freight Train had derailed and collided with the garage buildings on the property.
The property is separated from the train tracks by a large wall located behind the garage buildings. Five cars of the CSX Freight Train had derailed and crashed into the large wall, causing it to collapse into four garages. Thankfully, there were no injuries since the train had no passengers on board.
The Fire Department conducted a preliminary search of the area and found no injuries, only property damage. Although hazardous materials were found on the train car, they were secure and were not part of the derailed cars.
At the time of this release, the Fire Department, Police Department, and building officials were still at the scene. CSX will be taking over the investigation.
Amtrak, which also uses the line, tells us there is no disruption in service.
News Release: CSX Freight Train Derails into Cobblestone Square
On July 20, 2024, at approximately 8:50 p.m., the Fredericksburg Police Department’s E-911 Center received a call about a train derailment. Police officers and the fire department arrived at the scene, located at… pic.twitter.com/UaIKSNZ9nH
— FredericksburgPolice (@FXBGPolice) July 21, 2024
? Active Event ?
There has been a train derailment in the area of 400 block Cobblestone Drive. Seven cars derailed and struck a structure behind Cobblestone. No hazardous materials were on board and so far, there are no known injuries. There is no threat to the general public.… pic.twitter.com/hv6XNfjQ02
— FredericksburgPolice (@FXBGPolice) July 21, 2024
