(The following article by Caren M. Penland was posted on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram website on August 11.)
DALLAS — Four Union Pacific locomotives traveling near downtown Dallas derailed early Friday on a curved section of track, officials said.
The lead locomotive fell off the track shortly after the train passed over Interstate 35 about 1:15 a.m. The locomotive fell on its side and injured an engineer in the cab, Union Pacific spokesman Joe Arbona said. A conductor riding with the engineer was not injured. The three locomotives behind the lead also were derailed but remained upright, Arbona said.
“The engineer was taken to the hospital with minor bumps and bruises, and he’ll have to take some time off,” Arbona said. “But he was released this morning and will be fine.”
Arbona said none of the 100 train cars being pulled were damaged. The train was headed toward Louisiana, primarily transporting household items and appliances.
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the derailment, Arbona said. The train was traveling about 14 mph along the curved section of track. The speed limit is 20 mph.
Crews worked Friday morning to lift the locomotives and repair 300 feet of damaged track. Arbona said officials were forced to reroute several freight and Amtrak trains until the repairs could be made, which he expected to be finished by Friday night.