National Transportation Safety Board

Railroad Accident Report: Derailment of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company Intermodal Freight Train S-chila C1-31, Crisfield, Kansas September 2, 1998 National Transportation Safety Board

About 6:10 a.m., central daylight time, on September 2, 1998, the 17th through 19th cars and the first two platforms of the five-platform 20th car of westbound Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company intermodal freight train S-CHILAC1-31 derailed at Crisfield, Kansas. The derailment resulted in a pileup involving four articulated multiplatform cars carrying intermodal shipping containers. Some of the containers were breached, resulting in the release of hazardous materials and fires. About 200 people were evacuated, but no injuries resulted from either the derailment or the hazardous materials releases. Estimated damage was $1.3 million.