CSX says contamination near old rail yard poses no risks

[thelakelander]

CSX Transportation says there is no danger to residents, but it is letting one Westside neighborhood know that it has found some contaminants in ground water near an old rail yard site.

The rail yard south of Beaver Street between McDuff Avenue and Edgewood Avenue ceased operations in 1985. But Jacksonville-based CSX still owns the property and has a dispatch center and other operations adjacent to the site. The company has been monitoring ground water there since then and discovered last year that contamination had spread to new areas. Recently, it found contaminants in water 20 feet below the surface in a neighborhood just south of the rail yard site.

CSX said the contaminants include solvents that were used as de-greasers and cleaners and also some petroleum products.

CSX said the affected residents, which are largely on Warrington Street, are on city water hookups and should not be affected by the contamination.

“We don’t think there’s any danger at all to the community,” CSX spokesman Gary Sease said.

“I think they’re probably correct,” said John Davis, a professional geologist with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Davis said CSX has had a remedial action plan in place to clean up contaminants on the rail yard property and is in the process of modifying that plan to deal with contamination outside the property. But that plan is not final yet.

CSX said about 75 property owners were notified in mid-August about possible contamination in the area. The company is holding a public information session for those residents today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 116 Druid St., a CSX building adjacent to the rail yard site.

http://www.jacksonville.com/business/2009-08-31/story/csx_says_contamination_near_old_rail_yard_poses_no_risks

[Lunican]

Here is more information about the area: Urban Neighborhoods: Lackawanna>

[mtraininjax]

Forget the water, its in the dad gum soil. Instead of cleaning the site, the chose to try and contain it. They should get their butts nailed to the shed for this.

[Ocklawaha]

Like my home away from home, this shot INSIDE the old west JAX roundhouse.


It's a game and the railroad could lose it, then again they "could" move the marble palace to Cleveland.

In the early 1900's our progressives fought like hell to get both NS and SAL to build major shops here. We got West Jax, as a yard and major repair base for 1,000's of steam locomotives. Then with diesel, we soldiered on with 1,000's of diesel repairs INCLUDING the giant Centipede mentioned in the "When Is A Toy Better Then The Real Thing?" thread. Likewise Norfolk Southern had a roundhouse between Liberty Street and the Springfield Yard.

The City was thrilled, we got hundreds of jobs if not thousands. Several more roundhouses (repair) shops went up around the City and our railroad skilled workforce became legend. One in every eleven persons worked for the railroad.(FRA data).

Then as diesels become fewer and much more powerful, steam completely vanishes, and finally the giant West Jax, as well as the Miller Shops in St. Augustine, were razed.

Suddenly the same City is now rattling the cage, jumping up and down and recruiting the wacky fringe about the CSX site having contanimated soil. IDIOTS, we wouldn't have had that soil had we not sent ambassadors to Macon and other places to pull the shops to Jacksonville. But we did it and damn if it didn't make us develop into an industrial powerhouse while other Florida cities sold only sun, fun, and surf.

With all the suddenness of a cannon shot, our surprised officials are now crying over spilled grease, oils, diesel fuel, bunker fuel oil, coal, and God only knows what else. If we want it clean we sure as hell better Partner with our railroads, rather then attack them. From 1832 - 1960, nobody ever considered soil contamination.

OCKLAWAHA

[BridgeTroll]

Ock the same sort of thing happened at various navy bases also... Cecil and NAS Jax for example.  Yep... there is contamination.  They never thought of it as such at the time.  They were cleaning and maintaining war machines.  They were not intentionally trying to poison the land or people... they really didnt know better.  You can look at thousands of different industries "back in the day".  They used what were at the time considered best practices.  I agree that partnerships should be developed rather than a confrontational attitude.

[JaxBorn1962]

Forget the water, its in the dad gum soil. Instead of cleaning the site, the chose to try and contain it. They should get their butts nailed to the shed for this.

Amen csx should but they won't until someone with more Balls stands up to csx!