(The following report appeared on the Argus Leader website on July 16.)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A train collision Sunday morning near Garretson damaged an engine, a few train cars and their loads and lifted several cars off the tracks.
Cleanup crews with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway spent most of the day working at the crash site south of Garretson near 486 Avenue and 255th Street.
James Wipf, a Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Deputy, was called out to the scene at 10:15 a.m. Sunday. He said the trains were heading in opposite directions, one pulling grain and the other empty ethanol tankers.
“They were right outside Garretson, so they said they were slowing down when they collided prior to a crossover in the tracks,” Wipf said.
No injuries were reported. Wipf said BNSF representatives didn’t know the cause of the collision.
“One train had its engine basically stuck against a tanker and there were other cars that had one set of wheels a foot or two off the track,” Wipf said. “The other tankers had lots of damage. Most of the damage I’d say were to the wheels, though.”
A representative from BNSF Railway was unavailable for comment.