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Post by Poor Richard on Jun 24, 2023 12:06:50 GMT -7
Train derails into Montana's Yellowstone River Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte released a statement telling the public the state is standing by Fox News reports "A train derailment was reported Saturday in Montana near Columbus.
The train reportedly went off its rails and into the Yellowstone River amid a bridge collapse, according to local outlets.
"I’m monitoring the train derailment in Stillwater County, and the state is standing by to support as Montana Rail Link and county officials assess their needs," Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte wrote on social media Saturday just before noon."
Read the full story here. |
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Post by Poor Richard on Jun 24, 2023 18:43:28 GMT -7
Train derails into Yellowstone River in Stillwater County *UPDATE* KBZK reports "Update: 1:45 p.m.
Columbus Fire Chief Rich Cowger offered further information to clarify the number of rail cars involved in the derailment and what they contained.
He said 10 cars in the train were derailed and there were as many as eight that went into the water. The cars that were breached either contained molten sulfur or asphalt, but there was no immediate information on the contents of all the cars.
Two of the rail cars were carrying sodium hydro sulfate, he said, but those cars did not breach.
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Update 1:10 p.m.
Officials updated the number of rail cars involved in the derailment, stating that 10 cars derailed. Officials at the scene declined to say how many of the rail cars went into the river. The train is operated by Montana Rail Link, which released this statement shortly after 1 p.m.:
"This morning, at approximately 6:45 a.m. MDT, a portion of a train traveling westbound near Reed Point derailed while traversing a bridge over the Yellowstone. The train crew is safe and no injuries have been reported. There are several cars in the river and the consist makeup did include several hazmat cars. The cause of the derailment is currently under investigation with MRL personnel and first responders onsite. DES and NRC have been notified. The safety of our employees and the public remains our top priority. We are committed to addressing any potential impacts to the area as a result of this incident and working to understand the reasons behind the accident.”
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UPDATE 11:55 a.m.
Columbus Fire Chief Rich Cowger said authorities don't know what caused the incident yet and they are unsure if the Montana Rail Link train derailed first or if the bridge collapsed first. Those scenarios are part of the investigation.
Eight rail cars were involved in the incident. The cars that ended up in the water contained asphalt and sulfur so there was no hazardous oil spill although other cars on the train were carrying petroleum, he said. He was not sure how long it will take to get cars out of the river.
Two of the rail cars contained "acidic chemicals," but officials said those cars were not breached. A total of eight rail cars were involved, authorities said.
The incident happened at about 6 a.m. and no injuries were reported.
Authorities are asking the public to stay away from the area.
Officials have shut down the river downstream including fishing accesses downriver.
The emergency protective measures at water treatment facilities in Laurel, Billings, and Lockwood have been lifted." |
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Post by Poor Richard on Jun 27, 2023 9:11:22 GMT -7
Train derailment raises questions about Montana railway safety KBZK reports "The train derailment in the Yellowstone River near Reed Point on Saturday has brought up questions regarding the safety of Montana's railways.
U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, who represents eastern Montana, is among the many in the Treasure State who shared concerns after the bridge completely collapsed, leaving 10 cars in the river.
"This could've been a very, very tragic thing," Rosendale said on Monday afternoon. "We have a lot of infrastructure needs and we need to make sure that we focus our attention on doing just that."
His primary concern is the state's aging bridge system. Earlier this year, a train derailed near Missoula,spilling beer into the Clark Fork.
"Now that we are seeing failures like this, it does give me great concern," Rosendale said.
Darryl James is the director of the Montana Infrastructure Coalition. While the group focuses primarily on roads, James said that Montana's railway system could use some upgrades.
"All of our road and bridge infrastructure in Montana is aging, and so it's probably a good wake-up call to say, 'We better make sure we're staying on top of this stuff,'" James said.
James said that the typical bridge life for roads is about 50 years. While he doesn't know exactly what caused this derailment, he believes that bridge was more than 75 years old.
"Any statement from me would be pure speculation," James said. "This generation didn't build this infrastructure. It was built post World War II, and we've not significantly invested in our transportation infrastructure in the country."
In February, many around the country were gripped by the news of a 38-car derailment near East Palestine, Ohio, spilling toxic material and sickening people in the neighborhood. James said that is a great example of why he believes the infrastructure needs to be updated.
"I think the number of derailments across the country are probably an indication of the need to invest in real infrastructure," James said.
According to Rosendale, the Montana Rail Link president confirmed that the structure of this bridge had been checked and modified last year. Those recent renovations are a big reason why many are so surprised by the disaster.
"I think we have to keep continuous vigilance in inspecting and monitoring our infrastructure because that is the role of the federal government," Rosendale said. "We need to keep our roads open so that we can commerce between states."" |
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Post by Poor Richard on Jun 27, 2023 9:13:15 GMT -7
EPA: Initial tests show no water-quality problems near Yellowstone River train derailment site KBZK reports "Construction crews have removed eight rail cars from the eastern side of the collapsed Twin Bridges Railroad bridge in Stillwater County and the contents of two other cars on the western side of the bridge, EPA officials said in a Monday afternoon news release.
Ten rail cars remain in the water, and crews are working to determine their condition to develop a plan for removal, Environmental Protection Agency officials said.
While asphalt particles from one of the cars were detected downstream on the banks and body of the river, officials emphasized they have not discovered any risks to public drinking water or private wells. Saturday test results showed no detectable levels of petroleum hydrocarbons or sulfur, and the solid waste does not dissolve in water.
The Yellowstone River is the source of drinking for several cities downstream of the derailment. Water treatment facilities in Laurel, Lockwood and Billings all temporarily shut down over the weekend as a precaution.
The Montana Rail Link train derailed Saturday morning on the bridge near Reed Point, causing it to collapse into the river. No injuries were reported, and the incident remains under investigation as the cleanup continues. A total of 17 cars derailed.
Of the 10 cars in the water, six contain asphalt, three contain molten sulfur and one contains scrap metal.
A dive team is gathering more information on the condition of the cars below the surface, and contractors and a large crane are onsite to remove the cars.
The EPA is holding a public meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Columbus High School gym to discuss progress on the cleanup.
Montana Rail Link is working with its unions and BNSF to find alternative routes to limit supply chain disruptions." |
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Post by Poor Richard on Jun 30, 2023 17:45:39 GMT -7
Assessment of Yellowstone River derailment could take months KBZK reports "Don’t expect the cleanup of the derailed train in the Yellowstone River in Stillwater County to be completed next week, or even next month, officials warned Wednesday at a public meeting in Columbus.
An exact time frame, they added, is unclear.
“It will probably be a long-term duration for some time,” said Columbus Fire Chief Rich Cowger, a member of the unified response team charged with the cleanup.
Officials at the meeting reiterated that they are in the early stages of assessing the damage, but the potentially affected area appears larger than initially reported.
Joni Sandoval of the Environmental Protection Agency said pieces of asphalt were found in the intake of the Parr Pacific (formerly Exxon) refinery in Lockwood, about 50 miles downstream from the derailment site.
Seventeen rail cars derailed Saturday morning at the Twin Bridges railroad bridge, which was built in 1917, near Reed Point. Ten cars went in the water, carrying asphalt, liquified petroleum, molten sulfur, and scrap metal.
Downstream testing has shown no threat to water quality or the presence of petroleum, but the EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality will continue testing during the assessment.
Officials downplayed the danger of the material of the water, noting that it hardens when exposed to the cold. They did warn that pets should be kept away from material that washes ashore out of concern dogs and other animals could consume it.
The meeting was the first of what officials expect will be regular gatherings as the assessment and cleanup continue. Officials from Stillwater County, Montana DEQ, the EPA and Montana Rail Link gave presentations and took questions for about an hour and 20 minutes at Columbus High School.
A lot of questions remain unanswered, including whether the train derailing caused the bridge to collapse or vice versa.
About two dozen people attended the meeting, which was also available through Zoom." |
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Post by Poor Richard on Jun 30, 2023 17:53:53 GMT -7
Rosendale gets briefing on train derailment and bridge damage near Reed Point KBZK reports "Progress continues at the site of the bridge collapse and train derailment near Reed Point that happened on Saturday.
That derailment sent 10 cars tumbling into the Yellowstone River and five of those have been safely removed.
Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., had a chance to look at that damage and those clean-up efforts on Thursday.
Some of the irrigation ditches had to be shut off so some of the farmers may not be able to water their crops.
Also, they've had reports of some of tar the downstream including about six miles downstream at the Holmgren Fishing Access.
A man walking his dog, saw some tar just outside of the river.
"Saw some black stuff," said Alex, who is from Columbus. "I didn't even think much of it and then I started seeing some bigger chunks of it. Just kind of like molten tar."
Upstream about six miles, the Unified Command gave Rosendale an update and showed him the damage.
"We're here today to make sure we understand exactly what's going on and to offer ourselves up as a service and not to be anything to get in the way," Rosendale said.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) say the tests have come back with no detection of petroleum or increased levels of sulfur and crews are monitoring the tar downstream from the bridge.
"River operations going to scout that out to see one how much is on the shores," said Chief Rich Cowger, Columbus Fire Resuce. "Kind of where it's going, what we need to do protect irrigation systems."
"Ditches remain closed at this point," said Commissioner Tyrel Hamilton, R-Stillwater County. "Working with DEQ. Fortunately for us, it's been very wet here."
Joe Racicot, Montana Rail Link president, says crews had to cut tangled steel from the bridge and were hoping to remove a sixth car on Thursday.
He says workers will have to take the asphalt out of three of the four remaining cars before moving them.
"We'll start injecting steam into those cars," Racicot said. "We'll trans-load all three of those and we'll come up with a plan to get those off the bridge. We can't just pull them off. Obviously the track structure underneath, bridge timbers are compromised. So if you start to pull those cars, there's a risk. Either the span goes down or a car goes down. We'd like to avoid that if at all possible."
The Congressman sent a letter to the Department of Transportation and the EPA and says he likes what he's hearing about repairs that will help supply chains and commerce in Montana,
"When we could expect the line to be opened again, they're anticipating that to happen in the course of weeks, not months," Rosendale said. "And that is very, very encouraging for me."" |
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Post by Poor Richard on Jul 4, 2023 18:12:27 GMT -7
Final rail car removed from Yellowstone River at derailment site KBZK reports "Crews removed Sunday night the last rail car from the Yellowstone River at the site of a June 24 train derailment near Reed Point, according to officials with the unified command leading the response.
This last car of six pulled from the river contained sulphur, according to a Monday joint release from unified command, which include the EPA, Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services, Montana Rail Link and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
On Monday morning, teams finished transferring asphalt product from the remaining three rail cars on the eastern side of the bridge collapse into stable rail cars, officials said. Workers will continue to remove those empty cars from the scene.
“Our efforts have been focused on removing the rail cars from the river and assessing downstream impacts. We are turning our attention to cleaning affected areas along the Yellowstone River,” Columbus Fire Chief Rich Cowger said in a statement.
Ten cars went into the water when the Twin Bridges railroad bridge collapsed. Six contained asphalt, three contained molten sulfur and one contained scrap metal.
Environmental teams are now focused on assessing downstream damage from the derailment and boosting cleanup efforts. About 1,500 pounds of asphalt was collected Sunday, according to unified command.
Officials confirmed the first wildlife fatality over the weekend, a bird that was trapped in a pool of sticky asphalt. The discovery of the bird was made by Billings area photographer Alexis Bonogofsky, who has been documenting the impacts of the derailment and spill.
To report asphalt material in the river, submit information to: rpderailment@mtrail.com.
Officials are continuing water-quality testing downstream of the derailment site. The tests have shown no evidence of diminished drinking water quality." |
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