A Union Pacific coal train derailed June 26 near Glenwood Springs, Colo., and the mishap stranded 200 passengers aboard an Amtrak train using the same tracks. Eighteen cars of the Union Pacific train derailed, but no coal from any of the cars spilled, WLS television in Chicago reported. Amtrak planned on using buses to transport passengers past the derailment.
Eleven cars derailed in Jasper County, Texas, on June 24 and caused more than $1 million in damages, KTRE reported. Although the 74 car Watco Co. train had four cars with hazardous materials, none of them derailed, and no injuries or evacuations were reported because of the derailment near the Neches River.
A Norfolk Southern Railway train carrying sodium hydroxide derailed in east Houston June 17, KPRC reported. While authorities closed down a road in town, no injuries or evacuations were reported because of the derailment.
A derailment about 100 miles northwest of Moscow spilled 60 tons of oil, according to Russian authorities. More than two dozen cars derailed overnight June 15-16. At least 12 people were injured June 12 when a train traveling from Chechnya to Moscow derailed after an explosion believed to be a terrorist attack. The train derailed near the town of Uzunovo, about 93 miles southeast of Moscow. Investigators found evidence of electric wires connected to the tracks and the train’s engineer slowed after seeing an explosion on the tracks ahead, news agency AFP reported. Russian authorities said they would boost security in response to the attack.
