NTSB analysis determined the rail broke as the train passed, and that the break occurred at the site of a thermite weld completed less than five months earlier, with the break beginning at the base and moving upward. Measurement of the rail section showed a difference in profile that, under BNSF rules, should have required a compromise kit to address the mismatched weld configuration; this would have prevented weld flash that pooled under the base of the rail. The report says the welder “likely did not use one of these kits,” leading to the accumulation of weld flash that concentrated stress and led to the cracking.
The derailment and fatality caused an estimated $15.6 million in damage. It led to the full closure of I-25 for three days
I hope that the truck driver's widow has been properly compensated without having to fight for this. Horrible!
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