(The Associated Press circulated the following article on January 17.)
YUMA, Ariz. — Train traffic heading east from California was diverted north to Salt Lake City after fire destroyed a 780-foot trestle crossing a wash in southwest Arizona.
The wooden bridge over the Fortuna Wash in Yuma went up in flames Sunday morning and burned for much of the day after collapsing into the dry wash.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
More than 50 trains a day travel on the Union Pacific Railroad’s Sunset Line connecting California with Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Many were rerouted through Salt Lake City while a bypass for the destroyed trestle is built, railroad spokesman Mark Davis said.
The railroad brought in crews to construct a temporary bridge, install culverts and install track.
Known as a “shoofly,” the temporary structure was expected to be completed late Monday or early Tuesday.