(The following article by Paul Peirce was posted on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website on May 4.)
GRAPEVILLE, Pa. — Norfolk Southern Railroad hopes to reopen a section of track this morning in Hempfield Township that was severely damaged early Wednesday when 29 cars derailed.
Crews worked around the clock cleaning up the section of track, near the village of Grapeville, where the westbound Norfolk Southern train hauling gypsum derailed just after midnight Wednesday.
There were no injuries, according to railroad spokesman Rudy Husband.
Husband said the 59-car train was headed from Huff, Indiana County, to a plant in Gypsum, Ohio. Gypsum is a byproduct of coal and is used in the manufacturing of wallboard, ornamental stones, blackboard chalk and other plaster products.
Husband said Norfolk Southern used heavy equipment including bulldozers, backhoes and flatbed trucks in the cleanup.
“That is a main line, so we’re hoping to have at least one of the tracks open by (Thursday) morning,” he said.
The derailment occurred near Saddler’s Crossing Road.
Husband said the cause of the derailment is still under investigation.