(The following story was published in the January 7 online issue of the Enid News & Eagle.)
ENID, Okla. — Union Pacific Railroad crews spent all weekend repairing more than nine miles of track damaged Friday night when six cars derailed near Hennessey.
Railroad spokesman John Bromley said the repairs were completed shortly before 2 p.m. Monday – about 64 hours after a stretch of uneven track forced the cars to derail.
No one was injured when six cars in the 70-car train were forced off the track about 9:45 p.m. Friday, he said. The train dragged the derailed cars for about nine miles before it could stop.
“We had quite a bit of track damage,” Bromley said.
The train was en route from Green River, Wyo., to Beaumont, Texas.
“The entire train was loaded with soda ash,” which is used for making glass and paint, Bromley said. “It’s a non-hazardous material.”
Bromley said contractors helped the railroad clear the derailed cars off the track, while Union Pacific personnel finished the repairs.
He said the track was re-opened about 1:40 p.m. Monday.