Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) and Fredericksburg Fire Chief Michael Jones talk about the train derailment as a train goes by, feet away from the VRE parking lot. [Photo: Mike Salmon]In the aftermath of a CSX train derailment in Fredericksburg, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-7th, Prince William, Stafford, Fredericksburg) met with city leaders on the side of the railroad tracks near the accident site to assess the situation and assure the city that this hasn’t fallen off her radar screen.
Chief Michael Jones of the Fredericksburg Fire Department stood with Spanberger and described the derailment. “The cars were loaded down, and it was a low spot where the derailment was,” he said, pointing out the area. “It can be a problem,” he said, but our priority is to save lives.”
This train derailment on July 19, near the city’s downtown train station used by Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express (VRE), sent the locomotive into the sound wall, destroying a large section near one of the underused VRE parking lots.
