CSX head on collision in Folkston, Georgia

[David Collins]

CSX I032 and CSX L743 just collided head on at the Folkston turnout in Folkston, Georgia. Injuries are unknown but all signs are pointed at the dispatcher, which per multiple railfans on the ground in Folkston, lined the L743 right into the 032.

[C&O Dispatcher]

Hmm. That sounds rather questionable to me, but we shall see!

[David Collins]

More photos:

And scanner audio (captions made by yours truly): https://youtu.be/MqzWxJCMuCQ?si=fN4nJk_v9k_T4tnw

[Doktor No]

Well, it got lined into the other guy but how did the system even let that happen? Should be a fascinating investigation, to say the least.

[David Collins]

Well, it got lined into the other guy but how did the system even let that happen? Should be a fascinating investigation, to say the least.

It’s actually sounding now as more comes out that the signals were out in Folkston and they were running under EC1’s. They had switch tenders on the switches and they lined the 032 into the 743 as it sounds.

[Andy24]

I thought the hand throw switch caused the issue of I032 being lined into L732’s occupied track?

[David Collins]

I thought the hand throw switch caused the issue of I032 being lined into L732’s occupied track?

That’s how it’s sounding to me now, they were running under EC1’s as I just said.

[C&O Dispatcher]

OK. It's pretty much impossible to line opposing moves in CTC by signal indication. The exception would be if DS gives a train authority to pass a STOP signal into another train. Allowing a RESTRICTING signal is usually only for following moves, or sometimes couple back to train. This one sounds like mis-communication operating without signals.

[SD80MAC]

From what I'm reading and hearing from the scanner archive posted by the Folkston Train Watching group, the MOW guys reported the switches were lined and locked for both trains to proceed on opposite mains, when in reality they were not. Since the signal system was either suspended or taken out of service due to the work going on in the area, the dispatcher could not visually confirm this. The switches were in fact lined so that the intermodal train plowed right into the stopped local because their EC-1 permitted movement on what they assumed to be a clear track. Hoping everyone is ok.

[David Collins]

…Hoping everyone is ok.

Miraculously, only minor injuries. I know the speed of impact wasn’t high, but I know L743 well from when I lived down south and did my three trips to Folkston that I did. Back then it was A771. It often becomes a key train after it works Waycross (it works Waycross, Baldwin, Wildwood and terminates in Winston Yard in Lakeland, FL). Thankfully it didn’t have any hazmat cars on it today, or things could’ve REALLY gone south.

[CSXBOY]

These railroads have to stop cramming everything into one spot. Now I know the MOW worker screwed up. But you had 4 trains in the vicinity. M442, M209, L743 and I032. Folkston doesn't see the amount of traffic anymore compared to other places averaging 32 trains a day including the 6 Amtraks. There could have been a work block similar to what CN, CPKC, UP, and even BNSF does. Besides from what I've read there was a PTC outage as I032 was on EC forms throughout the run on the nahunta sub. Can someone please how these railroads run on those EC forms? I thought they were used on low density lines like the Plymouth sub. Anyway prayers to the crews and everyone involved.

[CSXBOY]

…Hoping everyone is ok.

Miraculously, only minor injuries. I know the speed of impact wasn’t high, but I know L743 well from when I lived down south and did my three trips to Folkston that I did. Back then it was A771. It often becomes a key train after it works Waycross (it works Waycross, Baldwin, Wildwood and terminates in Winston Yard in Lakeland, FL). Thankfully it didn’t have any hazmat cars on it today, or things could’ve REALLY gone south.

I thought it was mostly rock traffic? I caught A770 and A771 when I was in folkston as well. I could be wrong. Does it carry more mixed freight nowadays?

[David Collins]

Miraculously, only minor injuries. I know the speed of impact wasn’t high, but I know L743 well from when I lived down south and did my three trips to Folkston that I did. Back then it was A771. It often becomes a key train after it works Waycross (it works Waycross, Baldwin, Wildwood and terminates in Winston Yard in Lakeland, FL). Thankfully it didn’t have any hazmat cars on it today, or things could’ve REALLY gone south.

I thought it was mostly rock traffic? I caught A770 and A771 when I was in folkston as well. I could be wrong. Does it carry more mixed freight nowadays?

Keyword, mostly.

[NSSD70ACe]

These railroads have to stop cramming everything into one spot. Now I know the MOW worker screwed up. But you had 4 trains in the vicinity. M442, M209, L743 and I032.

Please tell us how the number of trains in the area has anything to do with anything. The dispatcher generally isn’t issuing authorities until it is safe to do so, unless they’re looking to get fired or not paying attention. It’s not like they’re telling the crews “hey just go and try not to hit anything”.

While no accident has a single cause, there is no excuse for blaming train count on what was very much a human factor incident.