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Crews Continue To Clean Up Coal After Train Derailment

Last updated on Thursday, October 24, 2013

(BLOOMINGTON) - Fourteen rail road cars hauling coal derailed early Wednesday morning in the 6100 block of East Ind. 45., northeast of Bloomington.

No one was hurt but two roads near the crash remain closed Wednesday night. Monroe County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Mike Pershing advised the area may continue to experience intermittent road closures today as heavy equipment is moved on the two-lane highway.

According to Eric Powell, a spokesman for the Indiana Rail Road Company, reports indicate a wheel bearing on one of the freight cars may have malfunctioned and caused the 2 a.m. derailment.

Powell estimated the tracks will be cleared by Thursday afternoon. Side booms will be used to pick up the toppled cars and move them. Powell says each loaded car weighs about 140 tons.

Crews are also working to clean up the coal that spilled from several of the cars. Powell did not know how much coal was spilled along the tracks.

Duke Energy crews replaced several utility poles that were broken during the derailment. About 150 households were without power until about 10 a.m. Monday.

The train, traveling from the coal mines near Carlisle to Indianapolis, had 101 cars and two engines. Powell says the cars were inspected at the mines before leaving and no issues were detected at that time. Powell says the train was traveling at 22 mph, well below the speed limit when the derailment happened.

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