Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
NewsThursday, April 24, 2008 10:50 PM CDT
Comments Comments (10) | E-mail this page E-mail this page | Print this page Print this page | Enlarge type Enlarge type | Reduce type Reduce type | Search archives Search archives | RSS RSS feeds | Add to My Yahoo! Add to My Yahoo!
Railroad tracks repaired, operating normally near Pontiac
By Tony Sapochetti
tsapochetti@pantagraph.com
Advertisement

PONTIAC -- The Union Pacific railroad tracks south of Pontiac were repaired and operating normally Thursday afternoon, a day after about a third of a 33-car freight train derailed there. | Photo gallery | Video

The main line was cleared, repaired and reopened at 3:12 p.m. Thursday, said Union Pacific spokesman James Barnes. A siding had been cleared and reopened by 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, allowing freight and Amtrak trains to pass.

“We rerailed most of the cars and are replacing portions of the track that is damaged, and we should be able to pull those cars,” he said Thursday afternoon.

Amtrak spokesman Mark Magliari confirmed that passenger rail service on the St. Louis-Chicago route was back to normal by Wednesday evening.

Ten empty grain cars at the end of the train derailed about 9:38 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Old Route 66 and Livingston County Road 1500 North, Officials said. Of those cars, four were on their sides.

The train had seven cars hauling Prairie Central Co-op grain from Lexington, but 26 cars were empty, officials said. The loaded cars were in the front half of the train, which did not derail.

A witness reported seeing the back of the train start to bounce before the derailment, but Barnes said the cause remains under investigation.

There were no injuries and no materials spilled, Barnes said.
Take a look
Amtrak passengers from northbound train 302 Lincoln, which had to stop and unload passengers at the uptown Normal depot station Wednesday's freight train derailment, wait for a bus to take them to Chicago. From left are Debbie and Mervin Zinsmeyer of San Antonio, Texas, and Emma Petraitis of Willow Springs. (The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY)
Amtrak passengers Lois Everett, left, of St. Louis and Dee Smith of Fairfield, Calif., wait for a bus outside the Normal station after Wednesday morning's freight train derailment. (The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY)
An MCI telephone company worker talks with officials after a northbound freight train left the tracks at Old Route 66 and Livingston County Highway 1500 North Road sometime before 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The mainline and siding were blocked by the derailment after several cars left the tracks. (The Pantagraph/David Proeber)
Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Reader comments on this story - 10 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

BNHuman wrote on Apr 25, 2008 7:48 AM:

" In hopes to never have Amtrak passengers delayed again I propose we build another track 1/4 mile away on the same route as all current tracks. That way if tracks are damaged or block there is an alternate route. Every 1/2 mile there must be a cross-over from main line to main line. "

michelle24 wrote on Apr 24, 2008 8:57 PM:

" To: Lighthouse....BLAH BLAH BLAH---- Stop spewing your drivel. I can't believe I just stooped to your level. :( "

Lighthouse wrote on Apr 24, 2008 1:14 PM:

" To Snooty Michelle 24...... The article states that a UP spokesperson said their were no injuries .... this does not mean the self centered people waiting for their ride on Amtrak expressed any concern for the UP employees. Lights are on. "

michelle24 wrote on Apr 24, 2008 6:58 AM:

" Uh, Lighthouse.....It clearly states in the article that there we're no injuries on the train. Lights are on, nobody's home! You're apology is accepted for your imature rant of "self centered people". "

legoman31 wrote on Apr 23, 2008 10:06 PM:

" I would agree with the dispeptic skeptic. People just have to hold their horses. Jees, calm down and enjoy the weather. Its beautiful and there's people like you bringing us down. I am an amtrak adict and support it all the way. You need to too!! What would you do without it? "

snarky wrote on Apr 23, 2008 9:49 PM:

" We don't know the reason for the derailment. Glad it was a freight train and not the Amtrak. "

Lighthouse wrote on Apr 23, 2008 9:38 PM:

" Wow! Nobody expressed concern for those on the train. Pretty self centered people! "

spottyjoe wrote on Apr 23, 2008 5:16 PM:

" Opps should have read closer, they did provide a bus. My son lives in Chicago and has been on this train many times, he is late arriving more often than not. "

spottyjoe wrote on Apr 23, 2008 5:13 PM:

" Why don't they put the passengers on a bus to chicago so they can be on their way. Trying to travel by train on the chicago -St Louis corridor is a joke. "

the dispeptic skeptic wrote on Apr 23, 2008 3:47 PM:

" People should stop complaining about being inconvenienced and be grateful no one was injured. Think about how long it took to cross the country by train 100 years ago, and be thankful we have the conveniences of today. "
Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?
 
Lee Enterprises Customer Service | 301 W. Washington St., PO Box 2907, Bloomington, IL 61701-2907 | Ph. 309-829-9000 | 800-747-7323
Copyright © 2008, Pantagraph Publishing Co. and Lee Enterprises. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy