(The Brownsville Herald posted the following article by J. Noel Espinoza on its website on August 19.)
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Under wet and muddy conditions, Union Pacific Railroad crews used heavy machinery on Wednesday to repair railroad tracks damaged by a train derailment Tuesday.
UPR officials said the derailment occurred at 4:45 p.m. behind the 77 Flea Market along 77/83 Expressway near Olmito.
The 68-car and one-engine train was going from Houston to Brownsville with soybeans, auto parts and chemicals. Officials said no chemicals were spilled.
UPR spokesman Mark Davis said 12 cars derailed, nine loaded with soybeans and three with auto parts. Davis said two of the cars carrying soybeans overturned and the remaining cars only derailed.
According to Davis, crews will replace about 800 feet of track and were expected to be open to rail traffic by 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Some cars remained derailed Wednesday afternoon as Hulcher Professional Services Inc. worked with back hoes, trucks and other heavy machinery to clean up the spill.
Davis said the derailment is under investigation.
Brownsville Fire Chief Lenny Perez said no one was injured and no chemicals were spilled.
“It’s just a derailment,” Perez said. “The only thing that spilled is grain.”
Perez said the Fire Department becomes involved and oversees a chemical clean up.
Perez was unsure about the chemical contents of the cars, but said one car carried acetone.