At approximately 12:36 am Saturday morning (Feb. 3), a CSX train traveling on Norfolk Southern tracks derailed 14 cars near Aurora. Four of the derailed cars were empty and 10 were carrying molten sulphur. CSX worked collaboratively with Norfolk Southern as they handled recovery efforts as this was their rail line. There were no injuries as a result of this incident. The cause is under investigation. Service was fully restored by 6pm Sunday evening.
Alleged theft of RR property just coincidence?
During the month of January 2024, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office received two reports of larceny of railroad metal from a property used by a railroad construction contractor off NC Highway 306 South in Aurora.
On Feb. 5, at approximately 02:29 am, Deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at the same railroad construction property. Located were James Thomas Garolds, Jr., 55, and James Thomas Garolds, III, 33, both of Guinea Mill Road in Ernul NC, loading steel railroad plates onto a utility trailer.
Both men were charged with one count each of Felony Larceny and held in the Beaufort County Detention Center on a $3,000 secured bond. This is an ongoing investigation and additional charges are expected.