(The following story by Casey Santee appeared on the Idaho State Journal website on August 10.)
POCATELLO, Idaho — A 10 railcar derailment Tuesday involving a remote-controlled train near West Sherman Street delayed traffic in the rail yard and left a mess that took workers most of the day to clean up, Union Pacific officials said.
No one was hurt in the accident, according to officials.
“It is currently under investigation,” UP spokesman Mark Davis said. “It’s important to find the cause because it helps us reduce future derailments.”
Davis said the accident, which happened at about 11:40 a.m., occurred while crews operating a remote-controlled locomotive were pushing freight cars together.
He said eight cars derailed from that train and one of those cars “leaned over,” derailing two cars on another train parked nearby. Davis said the accident caused some delays for the railroad and slightly damaged the tracks.
He said it is too early to say how many workers were on the crew operating the train or where they were located when the accident occurred.
Union Pacific started using remote-controlled trains at the Pocatello rail yard in February. The railroad first implemented them in Des Moines, Iowa, two years ago and plans to have them systemwide by the end of the year.
Railroad officials maintain the new technology is safe, but some rail union members have raised concerns.
Remote-controlled trains require only two employees, a foreman and helper, to switch cars and connect them.
The belt packs used to control the train also stop it if the wearer falls down, to prevent injuries.
Officials said workers can operate the trains from up to a half mile away.
A 38-year-old Union Pacific switchman was killed April 11 after he apparently fell under a freight car being pushed by a remote-controlled train in the Riverdale, Utah, switchyard.
The man was believed to be riding on the car, but was not wearing a belt pack. There were no witnesses to the 3:50 a.m. accident.
Another accident occurred April 29 in the Pocatello rail yard, when a UP van was struck by a remote-controlled locomotive. No one was hurt.
UP officials said the collision happened when the van’s driver swerved in front of the train.
Davis said he doesn’t anticipate the Federal Railroad Administration, which investigated the Utah switchman’s death, will get involved. He said the investigation will probably be done internally.