Nine rail cars of a Union Pacific train derailed southwest of Osawatomie in the early morning hours yesterday March 23. The derailment took place at 1:28 yesterday morning, near the intersection of Bethel Church Road and 355th Street. Union pacific says that none of the train’s crew was injured and there was no hazmat material released. According to the statement, the train was carrying what they called… “mixed commodities”. It did not appear that any of the cars that left the track overturned. Railroad workers were on scene all of yesterday working to remove the cars and clear the tracks. The train extended southwest blocking the Indianapolis Road crossing. The incident is under investigation. KOFO will have more details as they come in
This isn’t the first time a train has derailed in the Osawatomie area. In August of 2012, 22 grain loaded cars in a Union Pacific train left the track near 347th and Lookout Road, with three cars landing in the Marais Des Cygne River, a fourth hanging from the bridge over the river. The bridge was damaged in the crash. Also, in June of 2011, 16 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed at the 347th street crossing. Pieces of that wreck stretched almost two miles from the original site. That train was hauling beans, sugar, oil and coal.
