Train derailment Old Ellicott City: Two people dead after CSX coal train derails in Maryland

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Crews are on the scene of a train derailment in Old Ellicott City near Frederick Road that killed 2 people.
Photographer: Charley Crowson, courtesy WMAR
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Posted: 08/21/2012

By: WMAR web staff

ELLICOTT CITY -- Crews are on the scene of a train derailment in Old Ellicott City near Frederick Road that killed 2 people.

Family members on the scene say that one of the victims was going into her junior year at James Madison University.

The crash happened at 12:02 AMA on the historic bridge in downtown Ellicott City.

According to Howard County executive Ken Ulman, the CSX coal train was carrying 80 cars and 21 of them derailed off the bridge. There were two locomotives pulling the train that was traveling from Grafton West Virginia towards Baltimore.

Fifty officers from Howard County and Baltimore County responded to the scene. It doesn't appear that any coal spilled into the river.

Officials with Howad County say two train operators were unharmed in the incident. The cause of the derailment is unknown and is being investigated by a CSX investigative team.