Officials: Several buildings in area collapsed.

Hazmat crews are on the scene of a train derailment and explosion in Baltimore County.

Baltimore County fire officials say a CSX train derailed in the area of the 7500 block of Lake Drive near 66th Street in Rosedale at 2:02 p.m. Tuesday.

According to Baltimore County Public Safety officials Twitter account, preliminary reports indicate several buildings collapsed at site of train derailment.

{VIDEO} http://www.wbaltv.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/hazmat-crews-on-the-scene-of-train-derailment-explosion/-/10136486/20329436/-/pj7p56/-/index.html

However, according to the report at CBS Baltimore, it appears the culprit was likely a tractor trailer that was hit by the train:

Last edited Tue Jul 9, 2013, 08:29 AM - Edit history (1)

This is the manual used by the FRA hazmat inspectors.

Hazardous Materials Compliance Manual
http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L01184

I know that there is a DUer who is a car inspector at the Norfolk Southern's Conway Yard just west of Pittsburgh.

ETA: more from the FRA. I haven't been watching the videos, so I don't what sorts of cars derailed. Maybe there were some tank cars involved. Tank cars have special couplers. These couplers mate with all the other couplers in use, but when two tank cars are coupled to each other, their couplers have, in combination, an attribute all to themselves: they cannot become disconnected vertically. They are thus prevented from turning into battering rams that can puncture the car to which they were coupled. Thus, a string of tank cars will remain just that following a derailment - a string of connected cars -- unless there is some jacknifing involved. With jacknifing - well, that can be trouble.

Tank Car Integrity
http://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0284

One safety feature found on all tank cars used in hazardous materials service is the double-shelf coupler. These couplers are designed to remain engaged when subjected to forces that occur during switching operations and train accidents.

First responders need to know what's in all those cars and trucks. Placards provide that information. This guidebook tells you how to identify the contents of the cars and trucks and what to do next.

PHMSA Emergency Response Guidebook
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/library/erg

http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/Hazmat/ERG2012.pdf

It's also available as an app for mobile devices.

That's how come this stuff can be handed out.

You don't see train tracks not being used today. Between commuter lines and all the freight that is hauled clear across the country are the lines being inspected enough? Obviously the priority of trains has not been important to a certain party of our population who seems to think we only invest in flying while grinding the sad fleet of buses to a near halt and ignoring the trains (especially the passenger lines) hoping they will go away.

Commuter tracks may share private tracks, but would guess the public pays a premium to use them.

As they are privately owned, and they are usually only one of a few routes into and out of a transit hub/city, those same companies keep their tracks well-maintained. It's their livelihood after all.

So, derailments are most often due to collisions, as appears to be the case here.

They wait until the last possible moment to fix something -- and by then it's usually too late, there's been a derail.

Although in this case, it's something that continues to happen all too often: collision with a vehicle on the tracks.

I'm listening to the live feed on one of the links above, and according to some eyewitness accounts, the vehicle was one of those large trailer-type dump trucks on the tracks (likely trying to "beat the train.&quot

The fire departments are also telling people to get back as they're about to start pouring water on the fires.

Especially a truck driver. Jesus Christ.

it boggles my mind they're even allowed on the roads at all!

Update: Just heard them say it was a garbage/trash truck.

Oh....hell no.

I thought the beginning was AFTER the explosion. It's not.

Lots of houses and many large apartment buildings surround the White Marsh mall.

This is very sad. I can't imagine how much damage was caused by this.

Maybe other posters have already linked to some of these. If so, thanks.

The train has been identified on many websites and in many articles as CSX's Q409. It is southbound. In the first video, it is going from left to right. I am amazed at how quickly it was brought to a halt after the collision.

There are a lot of trees near the grade crossing. Visibility could have been better.

Just as happened in Boston, in almost no time, people rush toward the site of the incident, seemingly without regard for their own welfare. I am gratified to see that.

Rosedale update available?
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,3087835

Date: 05/29/13 19:36
Re: Rosedale update available?
Author: Poker2662

I don't have an update, but here is the video of the train hitting the truck (not claiming the rights to these videos in any way):

Hitting truck:

Derailment and explosion:

Date: 05/30/13 02:10
Re: Rosedale update available?
Author: BaltoJoey

The people from the truck repair company did go and do what they
could to rescue the driver of the truck.

Date: 05/30/13 03:00
Re: Rosedale update available?
Author: BaltoJoey

Poker2662 Wrote:

> I don't have an update, but here is the video of
> the train hitting the truck (not claiming the
> rights to these videos in any way):
>
> Hitting truck:
>

> Derailment and explosion:
>

The second video, I believe, shows some very important bits of information.
At the 40 second mark, an employee comes out of the building. He turns his head
toward the crossing a couple of times. I think he is turning his head because he
hears the train sounding it's horn for the crossing.
At the 57 second mark, the camera is shaken by the force of the collision.
That is 17 seconds between the apparent sounding of
the horn and the collision.

BaltoJoey

http://statter911.com

Crew members from Eastern Truck & Trailer get to the scene of the accident minutes before the explosion.