NTSB TO RELEASE FACTUAL REPORTS ON GRANITEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, RAILROAD ACCIDENT

Washington, D.C. - As part of its continuing investigation into the derailment and collision of two Norfolk Southern trains in Graniteville, South Carolina, last January, the National Transportation Safety Board will open a public docket and release a series of factual reports this week.

On January 6, 2005, northbound Norfolk Southern Railway freight train derailed after encountering an open switch and colliding with a locomotive on an industrial sidetrack.  The train was in non-signaled territory.  The 42-car train was powered by two locomotives and was made up of 25 cars that had loads and 17 that were empty.

The information being released is factual in nature and does not provide any analysis. It will include investigative group factual reports, interview transcripts, and other documents from the investigation. Additional material will be added to the docket as it becomes available. Analysis of the accident, along with conclusions and a determination of probable cause, is expected to be issued later this month.

For news media representatives, a CD-ROM containing the docket material will be available from the Office of Public Affairs, NTSB Headquarters (6th floor), 490 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C. beginning at 11:00a.m., Wednesday, November 16, 2005. Docket material also can be obtained from the NTSB's Public Inquiries Branch by calling (202) 314-6551, or from General Microfilm, Inc., (304) 267-5830.

This will be a document release only; no interviews will be conducted.
 

Media Contact: Keith Holloway, (202) 314-6100, hollowk@ntsb.gov