HAVILAND, Kan. — A tornado is being blamed for the derailment of about 100 cars of a Union Pacific train late Sunday (May 18) in rural Kansas, the Hays Post reports.
The incident occurred about 11 p.m. while the train was stopped near the town of Haviland after receiving a tornado warning, UP spokeswoman Robynn Tysver told the newspaper. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved. Cleanup is continuing.
Haviland is on UP’s Pratt Subdivision, about 75 miles west of Hutchinson, Kan.
Have some concerns announcing this as a derailment to the public. Rail aware person am not concerned. A blow over of a standing train does not fit the definition of a derailment. What happens in 6 months or more when there is another real derailment and all the public remembers ” Yes and there was a 100 car derailment in the midwest” ” those bad old RRs cannot keep their trains on the tracks”
I am no saint in the use of the English language terms but this blow over did stand out.
What will be worse is an internet search later under derailment will bring up this Trains newswire that the public will consider an authority.
There was another wind-related derailment west of Davenport, Neb., on UP Sunday night.
I was watching live coverage from KAKE in Wichita, Kansas last night as they were tracking a supercell thunderstorm to their west. I believe this was the storm responsible for this derailment. At one point, it was said the tornado was a one-mile wide wedge, so I fully believe it could tip over a train.