Four crew members hurt in coal train collision near Black Thunder WRIGHT, Wyo. -- A rare head-on collision between two coal trains temporarily shut down the major train lines running from the Black Thunder coal mine in southern Campbell County on Saturday. The accident at 7:53 a.m. Saturday injured four crew members and derailed nine cars in two Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight trains about 12 miles southeast of Wright. BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said the wreck involved an unloaded northbound train moving about 30 mph, which struck a loaded, stopped southbound train. The four crew members were sent to Campbell County Memorial Hospital. The hospital treated and released all four by late Saturday. Melonas said BNSF would not release their names. According to assistant fire chief Jeff Rech, the crew of the empty train missed a light signaling that there was a train ahead. BNSF officials at the site could not be reached for comment. Melonas said BNSF would continue to investigate the causes of the accident and assess the damage in the coming days. One car containing coal broke open and spilled some of its load when the attached engine was forced into it by the collision. Crews with BNSF and Cheyenne-based Hulcher Professional Services Inc. continued clearing the accident early Saturday evening. Flood lights were delivered to the site, indicating the clean-up effort would continue into the night. Several construction vehicles were being used to separate the mangled portions of the trains. By 2 p.m. Saturday, crews had separated much of the wreckage into two large piles containing wheel and axle parts, while three of the wrecked coal cars were set into an area along the tracks. Monday, May 13, 2002
One has to wonder if this series of unrelated accidents will push the railroads towards PTS. Assuming these do come in 3s as usual, this should be the last one for a while, I hope.
