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            HQ-2020-1388
      

      
  Document Series
              Accident Investigations


      
  Author
          Federal Railroad Administration


      
Accident Date
              June 17, 2020

  Accident Type
              Derailment (DRM)

  Railroad Name
              Union Pacific Railroad

  Location
              Bancroft, IDUnited States

  Accident Number
              HQ-2020-1388

  Investigation Status
              Finalized


      Subject
                    Accident Investigations


      
  Keywords
              Union Pacific Railroad, derailment, buffing or slack action excessive, train make-up


      

      
      
              
                  
      
              
  Document
              HQ-2020-1388_0.pdf (5.48 MB)

      
              On Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at approximately 8:24 p.m., MFT, a westbound Union Pacific Railroad Company, (UP) freight train, MNPPD-16 (Train 1), traveling at a recorded speed of 35 mph, derailed 31 cars on UP Rocky Mountain Service Unit, Pocatello Subdivision near Bancroft, Idaho. There were no injuries and the only release of hazardous materials was minimal fuel from refrigerated railroad car air conditioners. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has concluded the probable cause of the accident was H504- buffing or slack action excessive, train make-up and contributing cause H599- Other causes relating to train handling or make-up: engineer not receiving additional training prior to handling a train that substantially exceeded previous train qualifications related to the train’s length and tonnage.
      
            
      
      
              Last updated: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Railroad Administration**

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