Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Train in the Kootenai River - Crew Stranded on Locomotive

A BNSF train hit a slide at Katka Siding deep in the Kootenai River Canyon. Both locomotives are in the river on their side. Crew is stranded on top of the locomotive in the river, but the locomotives are said to be sinking into the river. The derailed cars are said to still be on the riverbank. Rescue crews are having great difficulty reaching the crew and are trying to get boats into the river and up to the crews. This happened before 10pm and is a ongoing situation. Katka Siding is several miles east of Bonners Ferry on BNSF Kootenai River Sub. Katka siding is 900' directly below where I took this photo of a eastbound train in the canyon. You would need a drone to see into this part of the canyon where the derailment is.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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This is conflicting info on wheat her there are cars in the river and if they are leaking hazmat. Locomotives are said to be leaking. Still and ongoing situation. Crew has been rescued by boat and is on the way to the Libby Hospital.
https://www.khq.com/news/bnsf-freight-train-partially-derails-into-the-kootenai-river-trapping/article_52f9ee6a-2d23-11ea-8263-27accd039299.html

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/20 01:02 by funnelfan.

Sorry to hear that bad news! Glad the crew made it to safety and the hospital.

Larry

9:01 p.m.: Emergency crews are responding to a Burlington Northern train derailment across the Kootenai River from Silver Spring Road with the engine in the water with two or three crew members trapped inside; the engine is filling with water.

9:13 p.m.: Emergency personnel are trying to find a way to reach the derailment; boats are being launched with divers but the is no road access to the crash as the area is extremely remote. 

9:15 p.m.: Crews will be staging on Crossport Road; expect heavy activity in the area.

9:17 p.m.: Another train is approaching from the west; attempts are being made to stop it.

9:23 p.m.: The train stopped; it is there to assist with the rescue of the trapped crew and see if it can bring the engine out of the water.

9:31 p.m.: The Sheriff's Office is request all non-essential people to stay out of the area of Crossport Road and Katka Road to Toboggan Lane.

9:36 p.m.: A Silver Springs Road resident with access to the river has notified the sheriff's office that he has opened the gate to allow access for equipment and boats. Those in the area can expect heavy activity. The railroad has confirmed that there are hazardous materials in the cars, but none have gone into the river.

9:42 p.m.: Personnel on scene said the engine is in the water, all cars are still on the track and upright and the crew is safe and sitting atop the engine waiting to be rescued.

9:44 p.m.: Boundary Waterways craft Marine One is about 15 minutes from the scene, but personnel on scene said the lead engine is settling into the water.

9:58 p.m.: Marine One has reached the scene.10:08 p.m.: The 9:58 report was in error; Marine One is still attempting to get through shallows to reach the engine.

10:13 p.m.: Two Bear Air Rescue from Montana is en route to the scene. 

10:21 p.m.: This is a 113 car train with seven cars containing hazardous materials; it doesn't appear that any of those seven are in danger of spilling.

10:24 p.m.: A boat that looks like Marine One is now in sight of those at the scene, but they are not in radio contact.

10:29 p.m.: A second jet boat crew en route to the scene reports oil on the water upriver from Twin Rivers Canyon Resort; additional booms are to be deployed by BNSF above Bonners Ferry.

10:48 p.m.: Boat crews are preparing to attempt to bring the train crew off he engine and into the jet boat.

10:50 p.m.: The two-member crew is safe on the Waterways craft and heading to Twin Rivers. Neither was injured.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/20 23:18 by funnelfan.

Good news reporting here;

https://www.kootenaivalleytimes.com/boundary/train-derails-into-kootenai-crew-trapped/article_14b10a7c-2d1d-11ea-9dae-d77fe903c1b3.html

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Damn !  What away to start the New Year.  Thank the all mighty that the crew is OK.

Craig Hanson
Vay, Idaho

That's impressive, mighty cold though. Good move by the Landowner.

Awesome coverage Ted. How did you first hear about it?
BB

Friends alerted me to the situation.
 

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

funnelfan Wrote:
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> Friends alerted me to the situation.
>  
Nice to have such friends!

Heard on internet scanner:,Boundary County EM: "not putting any more boats in the water until daylight ".
BB

bmarti7 Wrote:
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> Heard on internet scanner:,Boundary County EM:
> "not putting any more boats in the water until
> daylight ".


Extremely dangerous to be running boats on the river at night. Now that the crew is off the locomotive, best to wait until daylight.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Now for an example of poor reporting on the "Trail Derailment", you have KREM news. The map image is wayyyy off as it shows Crossport not Katka. And the crew wasn't trapped in the locomotive, they were stranded on top of the locomotive.

https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/boundary-county/train-derails-into-kootenai-river-with-workers-trapped-inside-in-boundary-county/293-46a82084-349f-4c18-b65b-ad988f9c14f2

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

9:23 statement is very odd. Approaching train to help crew and 'bring the engine out of water'. Now that will be a trick.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/20 04:33 by dcfbalcoS1.

I’m in Leavenworth waiting on 7 to Seattle. Is this why there is a service disruption?

Thanks,

Rob

Posted from iPhone

GoldenState Wrote:
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> I’m in Leavenworth waiting on 7 to Seattle. Is
> this why there is a service disruption?

Yes.  Your original #7 got as far as Libby, MT and wouldn't be getting thru.  Looks like it was turned and sent east as #8.  Yesterday's #8 (and #28) never left Spokane.  I would imagine Amtrak will simply turn them around to become replacements for the set stuck at Libby but gods knows how long it will take them to do that.

BNSF was damn lucky it wasn't Amtrak that went into the drink.  The westbound Empire Builder would have passed thru the area of the derailment about 3-4 hours later.

A couple of images from a first responder that reach the scene on ATVs driven down the track.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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Thx, working on getting a car rental!

Posted from iPhone

BNSF6400 Wrote:
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> BNSF was damn lucky it wasn't Amtrak that went
> into the drink.  The westbound Empire Builder
> would have passed thru the area of the derailment
> about 3-4 hours later.

Came here to say this, yeah.

EDIT: And thanks for the coverage Ted! Sounds like a lot of people did a good job last night. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/20 08:14 by FiestaFoamer.

Anyone know if there was a slide fence there?