(The following story by Anita Miller appeared on the San Marcos Daily Record website on May 13.)
SAN MARCOS, Texas — Union Pacific Railroad is still trying to find out what caused four cars of a southbound train to derail last Friday night.
There were no injuries reported and though none of the compressed cardboard cargo spilled into the San Marcos River, the four cars wound up just blocks away, officials said.
“The apparent point of derailment occurred near Aquarena Springs Drive and Bobcat Stadium at the switch,” Fire Chief Mike Baker said. The cars came to rest between CM Allen Parkway and South LBJ Drive.
The derailment tied up crossings from Aquarena Springs to Gravel Street for hours.
Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said the episode began around 9:45 p.m. and crews worked through the night, replacing about 50 damaged ties.
Streets were reopened at 1:27 a.m. Saturday and the railroad at noon Saturday.
“The cause is still under investigation,” Davis said, adding the railroad “hated to cause any inconvenience to anyone.”
Traffic in San Marcos was heavy on Friday and the weekend with families in town for commencement ceremonies at Texas State University.
Davis said he did not know when that portion of track was last inspected. He said the railroad would “pay for and repair” damage to CM Allen Parkway caused by the company’s equipment.
San Marcos Fire Rescue’s Hazmat Materials team responded to the scene, as did street crews and emergency management staff.