November trial date set in New Jersey derailment case

The first trial related to a train derailment that released a dangerous chemical in a New Jersey town nearly three years ago has been set for Nov. 16.

U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler on Friday set the new date after previously delaying the trial that was set to start this week as the two sides worked toward settlements.

More than 200 plaintiffs sued CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway Co., Conrail and others in federal court over the November 2012 derailment on a bridge in the community near Philadelphia.

Much of the town was evacuated in the aftermath of the spill.

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The National Transportation Safety Board found last year that systemic errors led to the derailment, and it criticized the emergency response as “chaos.”

Thousands of people also have related complaints in state court.

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