Western Railroad Discussion > Derailment in Albert Lee, MN

Just looked at the National Weather Service website and saw the following. I know UP goes through town. Not sure if CP does as well?
Anyway, here's what the alert says:

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF FREEBORN
COUNTY.

TRAIN DERAILMENT IN AREA OF 1300 BLOCK OF EASTGATE ROAD. UNKNOWN
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL LEAK. AVOID AREA... LOCAL RESIDENTS TO SHELTER
IN PLACE.

This appears to have occurred on the Union Pacific Albert Lea Sub in Southern Minnesota. This is also known as the Spine Line. From Google Maps, it looks to be in the northern part of the city of Albert Lea, south of I90 and west of I35.

Dick Ebright
Rochester, MN
Formerly from Roosevelt, Utah

Further info from Rochester KTTC-TV.     ALBERT LEA, Minn. (KTTC) -- A derailed train is causing local Albert Lea residents to shelter in place.The National Weather Service sent out an alert around 2:30 p.m. that a train derailed in the 1300 Block of Eastgate Road. According to the press release, there is an "unknown hazardous material leak."The Freeborn County Sheriff's Department is asking local residents to shelter in place.This is a developing story, stay close to KTTC on air and online as more information becomes available.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/21 18:15 by 2ebright.

The correct name of the town is Albert Lea having been born and raised there until the age of 12. The area in that location is free of turnouts (all removed from industries) and I believe is up on a fill. If it was a northbound most of the train would have been mtys going to the Twin Cities and if southbound mostly lds on a decending grade coming into the small yard.

A northbound just went through Farmington and was likely the portion of the derailed/not derailed train. Twenty cars or so derailed, Hulcher or another derailment clean up outfit would just push the derailed cars out of the way so the UP can relay 2k feet of main track, dump rock and suface it allowing them to quickly get back in business with slow orders over the track.

Most folks, don't realize that railroads derail cars all the time every day but most are just a wheel or truck off the rail or spread/broken rail incidents. Remember those rails are only 4',8 1/2" apart and it something causes them to be narrower or wider the wheels drop off and "stuff goes bump in the day/night".

Exprail

Looks like a mess.  Two cars leaking hydrochloric acid.

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/train-derails-in-albert-lea-multiple-train-cars-on-ground/89-dcaa9d4b-b98a-4ec7-843f-d507a5089299

Me thinks there is a washed out culvert under that soggy bottom mess.

Good luck cleaning up that mess! That is nothing buy a swampy bog. Heavy equipment is just going to sink up to the operator's seat! Probably will need some railroad cranes to do anything there, and even that would be iffy.
 

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

It appears they can work from one side, with some difficulty.... but not the wet side.

Big mess, Margie.
Yah, you betcha. 😋



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/21 10:52 by PossumKing.