(The Associated Press circulated the following on May 14.)
KEARNEY, Neb. — Irregular track alignment caused two coal trains to collide between Kearney and Gibbon and temporarily close three rail lines over the weekend, a Union Pacific Railroad spokesman said.
The crash happened at about 4:15 p.m. Friday and derailed both trains near U.S. Highway 30 and Ravenna Road eight miles east of Kearney.
UP spokesman James Barnes said a section of the track was found to have buckled. An eastbound 137-car train carrying coal derailed and toppled into an empty westbound 143-car train.
Between 15 and 20 rail cars were knocked off the tracks. There were no injuries.
The eastbound train was headed from Wyoming to Illinois. The westbound train was going from Missouri to south of Morrill.
Sections of three rail lines were shut down for more than 29 hours. All reopened by 9:45 p.m. Saturday.