HAZELTON, Kan. — Seventeen cars of a BNSF intermodal train derailed early this morning (Monday, Feb. 12) east of Hazelton on the railroad’s Southern Transcon, KWNS-TV reports.
Officials from Barber County Emergency Management told the station no hazardous materials were involved. BNSF told KWNS in a statement that the crew was not injured in the incident, that work to clear the line was under way, and that the cause is under investigation.
A BNSF advisory to customers says the derailment occurred about 5:05 a.m. The first track is expected to be reopened about 11 p.m. tonight; the second is estimated for reopening by 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Hazelton, on BNSF’s Panhandle Subdivision, is about 270 miles northeast of Amarillo, Texas, and about 70 miles southwest of Wichita, Kan.
Two large derailments in four days for BNSF (the other being Friday near Cairo NE on the Ravenna subdivision)! Maybe that railroad will start maintaining roadbed like normal railroads do.
You know this was caused by a roadbed failure? How do you know this? I think I will wait for the investigation to be complete before I offer an opinion.