(The Associated Press circulated the following article on November 9.)
FORT HOOD, Texas — Military officials will investigate what led to eleven Army tanks bound for Iraq being damaged in a railway accident.
Fort Hood officials say brake failure is suspected in the crash involving flatbed cars loaded with Fourth Infantry Division tanks.
Authorities say the rail cars broke loose on a siding, rolled down a slight grade then hit and damaged five idling Burlington Northern Santa Fe locomotives.
Nobody was hurt.
The railway has been cleared and reopened following Monday night’s accident.
Fort Hood officials say all eleven M1-A2 tanks were damaged. Each is estimated to weigh about 60 tons.
The accident destroyed part of the siding that connects the Fort Hood rail loading yards with the BNSF main line.
BNSF and the National Transportation Safety Board will also help investigate.