By: Leif Bromme
On Dec. 20, 2022, a tragic train derailment sent shockwaves through the Collegedale community. Three years later, that chapter of history concluded with a final reimbursement of $160,684 for greenway repairs.
The day of the derailment started as a quiet one, with Southern’s campus emptied out for Christmas break. However, at 12:31 p.m., the tranquility ended when a Norfolk Southern train collided with a tractor trailer near the intersection of University Drive and Apison Pike. The trailer contained a 135-foot-long concrete beam, which ultimately derailed the train and severely damaged three locomotives and 10 rail cars. According to a previous Accent article, the rail damage was repaired within 15 hours, but environmental cleanup efforts and the removal of wreckage took considerably longer. Even after the physical damage was repaired, fiscal issues remained. After three years of intermittent paperwork, the final release document concerning reimbursement for city property damage was approved on Oct. 20.
“It’s the last step in the process,” explained City Commissioner Tim Johnson. “Hopefully, something like this won’t have to happen again.” According to an article by News Channel Nine, Jorge Cruz-Vega, the driver of the tractor trailer, was hauling the concrete beam for a nearby bridge construction when he crossed the railroad. Though accompanied by two escort vehicles, Cruz-Vega did not ensure that his trailer could clear the railway before crossing. While stopped at a red light, the crossing gates descended on his vehicle and the collision occurred. According to the Collegedale Police Department, Cruz-Vega was charged with failure to yield, a registration violation and felony reckless endangerment.
“[The wreck] released approximately 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel from one locomotive onto the ballast and surrounding area,” the derailment’s Environmental Protection Agency entry stated. “EPA has coordinated with responding local and state environmental programs to investigate the site and potential impacts to environmentally sensitive areas and to determine the potential for off-site migration via streams and tributaries to the Tennessee River.” A previous Accent article reports that mitigative efforts were successful, and no lasting environmental damage threatens the area.
While Norfolk Southern worked quickly to repair its own property, it did not directly repair city property, as that job was left for Collegedale. After a $160,684 reimbursement, the Oct. 20 document officially released the railway company from any further legal or monetary obligations concerning the crash.
“The City of Collegedale had property damage [to the Greenway] and employee overtime that resulted from the train derailment,” said Mayor Morty Lloyd. “From the beginning, Norfolk Southern always assured us that we would be compensated for our losses.”
The approval of the release marks the end of the long legal process between the city and railway company. With the derailment saga behind him, Commissioner Johnson reflected on the past three years.
“I think we should have put more pressure on the railroad,” he said. “Other people impacted weren’t reimbursed.”
According to Johnson, wreckage was left in large piles near the Greenway for over a year after the crash.
“It needed to get cleaned up,” he said. “Kids go over there to play – not just Southern students. I see families with their kids, people walking near the railroad tracks. We should have put more pressure on getting reimbursed.”
From Lloyd’s perspective, the process was easier.
“I have communicated frequently over the last three years and found them easy to work with . . .,” he said of Norfolk Southern. “While we would have liked to have gotten the money sooner, the legal process takes time. According to [Director of Public Works] Mr. McAloon, the settlement amount of $160,684.11 makes the City of Collegedale whole.”
The city commission officially received their check on Oct. 24. Lloyd emphasized that further safety features on the tracks have been deemed unnecessary, as the railroad was not responsible for the crash.
