INTERNATIONAL COAL NEWS

Coal trains derail in US and Canada

THE US and Canada were both hit with coal train derailments last week, though neither involved an...

Donna Schmidt

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According to the Bismarck Tribune, 14 Burlington Northern Santa Fe cars jumped the tracks Friday morning in the east of Bismarck. While one of the cars is salvageable, the remaining 13 will be scrapped.

All the cars were loaded with coal and BNSF reportedly said its crews would assist in the clean-up so that it could repair the track for the recommencement of traffic. It was not known Monday if that work had been completed.

An investigation has begun into the cause of the derailment of the train, which featured three locomotives and 101 cars in total. The conductor reportedly told officials after the incident that the engine had lost air supply power.

Last Tuesday morning, 27 cars of a Canadian Pacific coal train jumped the track near Hosmer, British Columbia.

The Free Press quoted CP Rail media relations senior manager Mike LoVecchio as saying that the emergency brakes had been deployed and a safe stop was made, but an inspection found that the 7000 foot-long train of 112 cars had derailed.

The cause of the incident is not yet known, but an investigation has begun. The train has since been reconstructed.

No environmental damage resulted from the derailment.

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