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  • 1970 LeRoy wreck and trichloroethylene spill

  • Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.
Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.

Moderator: scottychaos

 #623811  by Otto Vondrak
 
I thought we had discussed this before, but I couldn't find it... anyone have any info on the December 1970 wreck at LeRoy where trichloroethylene was spilled?
 #623845  by BR&P
 
Otto, it must have been before the site was re-designed but we did have a lengthy thread at one time. If you have any way of accessing it check there, otherwise we'll have to start over again.
 #624045  by lvrr325
 
It's buried in the end of another thread discussing the last train on the LV I think, because someone had posted trying to find out if Conrail was liable for the pollution and I remember pointing out that the property never went to Conrail and the descendant company of Penn Central would be who to go after.

edit: Some discussion here: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... a&start=30
 #643757  by march hare
 
I was the source of the original post, so if anybody's looking for more info, post and I'll share the info we have.

We interviewed several people when the site first came to us, including the LVRR claims agent, the consulting engineer that worked on the contamination problem in the first few months, neighbors, and a couple of first responders (aka firemen, not to be confused with the guy in the left hand seat...). Also got the consist of the train (led by a C420 if memory serves).

Never did get the info on the consignee for the two cars.

BTW, at the time, much attention was paid not so much to the TCE (most of which had soaked into the ground already, anyhow) but to an ACF covered hopper full of cyanide granules which had also ruptured. Thet rain originated in Niagara Falls, so of course there were all sorts of nasty chemicals involved.
 #1011477  by nydepot
 
Since last fall there has been inquiries on this board and some others I read asking for a refresher on the LV derailment in 1970 near Le Roy. Sort of out of the blue asking.

Now in today's Democrat & Chronicle the story and accompanying map showing the LV wreck and the possibility that soil from the wreck was used as fill to build the school on. If you're not up on national events (Today Show, et al), 15 or so girls have a mysterious illness leading to tics and outburst much like Tourette syndrome. It's been going on since the school year started but is really hitting the news in the last few weeks.

Anyway, I find it interesting that these random questions on the LV wreck started this past fall and now it's a possible indicator in this illness (although the feds, etc have said the soil was not used for fill). Someone had their thinking cap on.

You can search the D&C's website for Le Roy and "Conversion Disorder" to read everything that's going on.

Charles
 #1011484  by BR&P
 
What a bunch of BS! Kids have been going to the school for years, teachers have been teaching there for years, and now all of a sudden after all this time it's because of that! It would be hilarious if you didn't just KNOW that the next step will be to sue the school, the village, the trucks that hauled the soil there, the Lehigh Valley Railroad (LOL!!) and who knows who else.
 #1011513  by Memster1
 
BR&P wrote:What a bunch of BS! Kids have been going to the school for years, teachers have been teaching there for years, and now all of a sudden after all this time it's because of that! It would be hilarious if you didn't just KNOW that the next step will be to sue the school, the village, the trucks that hauled the soil there, the Lehigh Valley Railroad (LOL!!) and who knows who else.
No one believed Love Canal was real at first either. Lets give the kids some compassion as they have something going on that isn't natural and NO ONE knows the cause yet. Thousands of gallons of TCE & tons of dry Cyanide was dumped and that can't be a good combination. Until all the facts are in lets see what the results are.
 #1011542  by med-train
 
Memster1 wrote:
BR&P wrote:What a bunch of BS! Kids have been going to the school for years, teachers have been teaching there for years, and now all of a sudden after all this time it's because of that! It would be hilarious if you didn't just KNOW that the next step will be to sue the school, the village, the trucks that hauled the soil there, the Lehigh Valley Railroad (LOL!!) and who knows who else.
No one believed Love Canal was real at first either. Lets give the kids some compassion as they have something going on that isn't natural and NO ONE knows the cause yet. Thousands of gallons of TCE & tons of dry Cyanide was dumped and that can't be a good combination. Until all the facts are in lets see what the results are.
I caught the tail end of a commercial for one of the drugs being used for treating ADHD today and one of the side effects was TIC like symptoms, essentially this very affliction. Maybe that should be checked out as more likely than a 40 year old spill.