(The following appeared on the Longmont Times-Call website on June 22, 2009.)
LONGMONT, Colo. — An eastbound train made an emergency stop along Colo. Highway 119 at Sunset Street on Monday afternoon and briefly blocked Hover Street just south of Ken Pratt Boulevard.
Emergency workers investigated a possible leak from a train car just west of Hover Street. They determined the leak was not hazardous, and the train started moving through Longmont at about 1:35 p.m.
Steve Forsberg, spokesman for BNSF, said the train was en route from Denver to Montana. A passer-by reported the leak, which was a white powder that railway officials determined was barite. Forsberg said it is an ingredient in cement.
“Apparently, there was a small leak, which they addressed,” Forsberg said. “We’re grateful that a citizen reported it.”
Northbound traffic on Hover was diverted at Pike Road while the train was stopped.