Mayfield residents will have an opportunity to ask questions about the relocation of a device to their neighborhood that played a role in last summer’s train derailment.
At 6 p.m. on March 20, CSX representatives will speak at a meeting organized by Del. Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg) and hosted by the Mayfield Civic Association, NAACP Fredericksburg Branch and city council members. The meeting will be held at the Mayfield Community Center (311 Grover St.) and will provide residents an opportunity to ask questions about the recently installed device.
According to a press release, CSX representatives will be present to share information, answer questions, and educate community members about the device and its safety measures. The discussion will focus on the new location of the split-point derail device.
The device was previously situated at Cobblestone Square, where a derailment resulted in a barrier wall collapse and damage to four buildings. It has since been relocated further south, partially due to concerns about its proximity to the development.
In the months following the derailment, local and federal officials alike demanded accountability for the incident, with former Rep. Abigail Spanberger visiting the site and Vice Mayor Chuck Frye (Ward 4) asking a CSX official whether his CEO would feel comfortable moving his family near the tracks.
Mayfield residents also live in close proximity to an underground petroleum pipeline dating to the 1960s. The pipeline was the subject of a public awareness campaign coordinated by the Fredericksburg branch of the NAACP and the city’s fire department.
