(The following story by Leslie Wilber appeared on the Victoria Advocate website on August 19, 2009.)
VICTORIA, Texas — Train cars packed with coal derailed near the Navarro Street overpass Tuesday afternoon.
No one was injured and no hazardous materials were on board, Police Chief Bruce Ure said.
The derailment seemed to start near Wheeler Street, where asphalt at the railroad crossing had begun to buckle. Rails broke and popped against the weight of the cars as Union Pacific officials investigated the derailment, which happened shortly after 3 p.m.
Will Martin was driving to Wholesale Tire, near the intersection of Wheeler Street and Power Avenue, when he saw the train start to shimmy.
“All of a sudden, it started making a lot of noise,” he said. ‘All of a sudden it started sparking and smoking.”
As the train came off the track, Martin rain inside to warn his co-workers.
“I started to holler ‘Get out of there,'” he said.
Inside, the whole building was shaking, employee Daryl Nelson said.
“I looked around and I saw the sparks,” Nelson said.
In more than 20 years, this is the first train to derail in front of the tire shop, owner Blackie Malone said.
The most dramatic portion of the derailment happened at the Navarro overpass, where one railcar leaned against the guard rail. Traffic continued to drive below.
“It’s structurally sound and can take the weight,” Ure said. Each car weighs about 120 tons.
Crossroads between Business 59 and Goodwin Avenue were closed, although Union Pacific officials at the scene said the train would be cleared within 24 hours.
Portions of the track appeared to be badly damaged. Railroad ties near the bridge were snapped and track was uprooted.