(The following article by Michael Milstein was posted on the Oregonian website on May 9.)
PORTLAND, Ore. — A train engine and nine cars derailed near Southwest Tualatin-Sherwood Road at Southwest Boones Ferry Road in Tualatin just before 3 p.m. Saturday, causing five cars carrying bark chips to topple onto their sides.
No injuries were reported but about 200 gallons of diesel fuel leaked onto the ground, said Karen Eubanks of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.
The train made up of two engines and 35 cars was headed southbound from Beaverton to Albany at about 20 mph when the derailment occurred, said Jim Bearden, director of safety for Genesee & Wyoming Inc., parent company of Portland & Western Railroad Inc., which operates the line. The cause remained under investigation Saturday, he said.
A tank on the second of two engines carried an estimated 1,200 to 1,500 gallons of diesel and was punctured as the engine jumped the tracks, causing the fuel leak, Eubanks said. Fire crews prevented the loss of additional fuel by flooding the fuel tank with water. Since diesel fuel floats on water, it remained at the top of the tank while water leaked from punctures at the bottom, giving time for crews to remove the fuel.
Private crews began further cleanup work Saturday evening.
The derailed cars sustained major damage, but no other property damage was reported.