Sept. 26, 2007, 4:38PM Freight Train Derails in NE Iowa © 2007 The Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa — Clean up was under way Wednesday after 27 cars on the Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad derailed near Froelich in northeast Iowa. Railroad spokesman Jafar Karim said no one was injured in the derailment Tuesday night, which was reported between 7 and 8 p.m. An Iowa Department of Transportation rail inspector reported that 15 to 16 cars were overturned into or around Bloody Run Creek, which is part of a 660-acre timber and trout stream system. Dena Grey-Fisher, a Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said the rail cars carried soybean meal and soybean cake. No immediate environmental damage was reported, said Kevin Baskins, a Department of Natural Resources spokesman. He said cloudy water was reported in the stream as a result of spilled soybean meal but no fish kills were apparent. The derailment affected six railroad bridges. The bridge over Bloody Run Creek collapsed and the deck was torn off another bridge, Grey-Fisher said. Four others had less serious damage, which was caused by train cars striking the bridges, she said. Karim said other details were not immediately available. He said the railroad tracks around the derailment site are out of service. The cause of the accident is under investigation. The Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad line began operation in 2002 and run 1,393 miles of track from Minneapolis to Chicago and Kansas City, paralleling the Mississippi River through Iowa. The railroad also operates a line across northern Iowa and one across southern Minnesota. Iowa operations consist of 660 miles of track. The rail line, which transports coal, farm products, food products, chemicals, transportation equipment and hazardous materials is under the management of Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Cedar American Rail Holdings Inc.
