Major Derailments of 2020

Information compiled by Railroad Workers United (RWU).

RWU has documented 41 major derailments in the U.S. and Canada in 2020. Thankfully, these derailments did not result in injury or death in most cases. While not as disastrous as the previous year, this is still of course way too many. NOTE: This list was compiled informally and with volunteer labor of rank & file railroad workers. There is no guarantee that it is comprehensive. See the bottom of this post if you wish to get involved and forward information on derailments in the coming year. UP – 25 cars – Leaking Octane –  Iowa – 12/25/2020 UP – 39 cars of a 201 car train – Illinois — 12/24/2020 NS – 20 cars – 132 car train, highway closed 10 days – Indiana – 12/23/2020 BNSF – 7 cars – oil fire/evacuation – Washington – 12/22/2020 NS – 10 cars – Ohio – 12/4/2020 NS –  multiple cars – Mississippi – 12/2/2020 BNSF – 2 locos + 12 cars – New Mexico – 12/2/2020 NS – 5 cars – Ohio – 12/1/2020 UP – 6 tank cars (HCL) – California – 11/23/2020 NS – 12 cars – Ohio – 11/24/2020 CSX – 21 cars – Maryland – 11/23/2020 NS – 6 cars – 1 injury – Georgia – 11/15/2020 NS – 22 cars – river contamination – Virginia – 10/30/2020 KCS – 25 cars – evacuations – Texas – 10/29/2020 CSX – locos – evacuations – 38 cars – Georgia – 10/11/2020 NS – 6 of 125 autoracks – Missouri – 9/25/2020 CN – 60 cars – British Columbia – 9/14/2020 CSX – 9 cars – South Carolina – 9/7/2020 UP – 38 cars – 10,000′ manifest – Nebraska – 8/23/2020 UP – 57 cars – double grain train 222 cars – Wyoming – 8/23/2020 UP – 10 Cars – fire and bridge collapse – Arizona – 7/29/2020 NS – 17 cars (vegetable oil) – Alabama – 7/18/2020 UP – 13 cars of coal in river – Wisconsin – 7/6/2020 BNSF – 29 cars – New Mexico – 7/6/2020 UP – XX cars – Arizona – 6/29/2020

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In conducting this effort, RWU discovered a number of websites that are documenting derailments. One blogger documents certain train derailments thoroughly. He is incredulous about the recent number. See his blog here …

Industrial History

Finally, if you learn of a wreck in the coming weeks and months that is worthy of mention, please email it along to RWU. We will add it to the list for this new year.

Email RWU Info on Train Wrecks for 2021

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