Several cars from an 85-car Canadian Pacific Railway freight train dangle from a trestle over the North Fork of the Crow River near Paynesville, Minnesota.

7 June 2011

Paynesville St. Cloud Minnesota Derailment Should be Cleared by Wednesday

Paynesville Minnesota USA - Canadian Pacific Railway hopes to have the tracks cleared, repaired, and reopened by Wednesday evening after a derailment in Paynesville Monday, a company spokesman said this morning.
 
Workers are removing the eight cars from the 85-car train that derailed about 2:51 p.m. near the American Milk Producers Incorporated plant. No one was injured and no hazardous material spilled. Two cars dropped from a bridge into the North Fork of the Crow River.
 
Investigators are also looking for a cause of the derailment, said T.J. Nelson, a spokesman for Canadian Pacific Railway. Paynesville Police Chief Kent Kortlever suggested Monday heat might have played a role.
 
It could take some time to determine the cause, Nelson said.
 
"There are a lot of factors that go into it," Nelson said.
 
The derailed cars are expected to be removed this afternoon, Nelson said. Crews will repair any damaged rails and inspect the bridge.
 
The hope is to have the trains running again by Wednesday evening. The track runs from Chicago to Vancouver, British Columbia.
 
The track can get between 10 and 20 trains a day, Nelson said,
 
Canadian Pacific Railway is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, with U.S. operations in Minneapolis.