Class I Railroad Derailment

Pinnacle Engineering was hired by a Class I railroad to direct emergency response efforts related to a crude oil train derailment, oil release and fire that occurred adjacent to a large wetland area.

Emergency response activities included transloading of residual oil from damaged cars, recovery of oil from the surface water and wetland, and limited excavation of impacted soils beneath the track bed and within the right of way. Based on previous successful efforts using bioremediation at other crude oil release sites and the recommendation provided by Pinnacle Engineering, regulatory officials approved the use of bioremediation injection into the ballast to support additional reduction of oil. These efforts proved to be successful, allowing the affected area to be returned to its original state.