Montana Rail Link Train Derails Near Superior
photo courtesy of Montana Rail Link
19 cars of a westbound
Montana Rail Link train carrying aircraft parts, soybeans and denatured alcohol derailed near Superior yesterday.
Spokeswoman for Rain Link Lynda Frost, said the derailment occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 3, 18 miles east of Superior.
“Those cars contained aircraft components, denatured alcohol and soybeans, most of which were the aircraft components,” Frost said. “The crews have worked through the night, and it looks like that main line will be closed until tomorrow evening.”
Frost said three of the cars containing aircraft components slid down a steep embankment and ended up in the Clark Fork River.
“Three of those loaded cars did end up in the river, and we’re working hard to get those back up on the bank,” Frost said. “The three cars containing denatured alcohol did not rupture, and as of this morning had already been offloaded to other cars. The shipment of aircraft parts originated in Kansas City and was headed for Renton, Washington.”
Frost said there were no injuries and the investigation into the derailment is ongoing by Montana Rail Link personnel and other agencies. Train derailments in the United States fall under federal jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation’s
Federal Railway Administration.