Third Derailment of 2026 Hits Norfolk Southern's Horseshoe Curve in Pennsylvania

A Norfolk Southern train derailed at Pennsylvania's historic Horseshoe Curve on Tuesday, 11 August, at around 3:23pm, with about a dozen westbound railcars leaving the tracks near the site's visitors center in Altoona. Norfolk Southern said no injuries were reported and that no hazardous materials had been confirmed among the derailed cars as cleanup crews worked the scene.

By Wednesday morning, cleanup crews had re-railed all cars and Norfolk Southern expected the line back in service that afternoon. The cause remains under investigation. The incident is the third derailment on or near the Horseshoe Curve this year: roughly 65 railcars derailed nearby in early February, followed by a 17-car derailment about five miles from the curve in March.

The recurring incidents at one of American railroading's best-known landmarks — a National Historic Landmark built in 1854 that still carries dozens of freight and passenger trains daily — are likely to draw renewed attention to Norfolk Southern's track maintenance and operating practices in the region. The scrutiny comes as the railroad pursues its proposed $71 billion merger with Union Pacific, which remains under review by the Surface Transportation Board.