(The Associated Press circulated the following article on January 18.)
WHITE EARTH, N.D. — Crews have been repairing a stretch of track damaged when nine cars of a Burlington Northern and Santa Fe freight train derailed over the weekend.
The train was en route from Chicago to Seattle when the derailment occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday more than 75 miles west of Minot, railroad spokesman Gus Melonas said. No injuries were reported. Cause of the derailment was under investigation.
Passengers on Amtrak trains, which use the same line, were bused passengers between Minot and Havre, Mont., Melonas said.
“The containers involved were moving general merchandise,” Melonas said. “There were some hazardous materials that were in the containers, but there was no release.”
He said the hazardous materials included “alcohol products, corrosive liquids, paints, compressed helium, printing ink.”
As many as 50 trans a day use the affected track, and about 75 workers were at the site Monday, Melonas said. Most of the cars will be shoved off to the side, he said.