D&H train 165 derailed into the Susquehanna River south of Taylor, PA on the Sunbury Line anear 8:00 EDT this morning. The derailment resulted from a large washout caused by recent heavy rains. The crew was trapped in the lead unit by a pile of freight cars and debris until approximately 3:00pm when they were rescued by MOW forces and local rescue personnel. Rick
Rail workers rescued from submerged engine NEWPORT TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Rescuers were successful around 3 p.m. today (May 14) in freeing two men from the engine of a freight train that jumped the track and ended up in the Susquehanna River, trapping the engineer and conductor in a mixture of river water, mud and diesel fuel for more than 7 hours, according to a report filed by WNEP-TV. Conductor Edward J. Mooney, a member of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 211 in Binghamton, N.Y., and engineer Mike Green were flown to Geisinger Hospital in Danville, where they were treated for injuries, according to reports. Brother Mooney, who suffered a leg injury, was transported by stretcher. The crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. EDT in Newport Township, near Nanticoke, along the Susquehanna River, the television station reported on its website. Photographs were also posted at http://www.WNEP.com. The men were conscious and talking to rescuers throughout their ordeal. Rescue crews had to dig under the locomotive to free the trapped men. Seven cars and two engines of the Canadian Pacific freight train jumped the tracks, WNEP-TV reported. While two of the cars were dangling in the river, up to 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the waterway, as well as some lumber. The train was carrying wheat, cornmeal, and other food products, but no hazardous materials. The train was apparently on a regularly scheduled run from Sunbury to Scranton, according to the report. From the television station's aerial camera, it appeared the ground beneath the tracks had fallen into the river, but it remained unclear if the ground crumbled in a washout before the accident or as a result of the accident. Recent rainy weather may have softened the ground in the area. May 14, 2002
