No injuries as BNSF intermodal train derails near Barstow
About 15 cars of a BNSF Railway intermodal train derailed Thursday at Jimgray, Calif., about 24 miles northwest of Barstow on the railroad’s Mojave Subdivision. The San Bernardino County Fire Department reports on Twitter that it responded to the accident about 6 a.m., but there were no injuries and no hazardous-material situation resulted. The San Bernardino Sun reports a BNSF spokeswoman said no estimate was immediately available for when the main line would be reopened, and that the cause is under investigation.
Full Hiawatha schedule to be restored May 23
Amtrak will restore the full Hiawatha Service schedule as of May 23, confirming plans previously reported by Trains News Wire [see “Some states begin restoring Amtrak corridor frequencies …,” March 25, 2021]. While the trains were unreserved prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, reservations are required and other pandemic safety measure are in effect. Those with monthly or 10-ride passes must confirm their travel plans using Amtrak RideReserve on the company website or smartphone apps. Service will also be restored on two daily Amtrak Thruway bus round trips between Milwaukee and Green Bay, with intermediate stops in Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, and De Pere. More information is available here.
Two killed in explosion at Wyoming railcar repair facility
Two men are reported to have died in an explosion at a railcar repair facility in Shoshoni, Wyo. The Casper Star-Tribune reports the victims, ages 28 and 18, were found unresponsive inside a tank car at Wasatch Railcar Repair about 3:24 p.m. on Wednesday. Because of the presence of noxious gases, a specialized team from the Casper Fire Department responded, along with Fremont County, Wyo., sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and medics. The Federal Railroad Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and local officials are investigating. Shoshoni is about 100 miles west-northwest of Casper.
When living in Pittsburgh as a child, such incidents with men inside tank cars were a frequent occurrence every few years, often involving cleaning operations. The OSHA, FRA, etc. reports should prove interesting.