Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Derailment in MT

Looks like BNSF dumped another one onto the ground in the Northern Corridor a few days ago...

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/bnsf-train-derails-in-montana/

Hedgesville, MT is on the line between Laurel and Great Falls about 80 miles out of Laurel. BNSF was using the line for some westbound manifest traffic to bypass the MRL by being sorted at Great Falls, but I haven't heard if that was still the case. Otherwise most of the traffic on the line consisted of traffic moving to and from the CP interchange at Sweetgrass, MT.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Haven't heard mention of the cause yet.  25 cars found their way to the ditch at 3:30am.  Given average train counts of the manifests running the sub, that 25 count could have been one third of the train. The incident time tells me it was the Shelby to Laurel manifest.  A couple of pictures of the derail can be seen on the Billings Gazette web page, 

The Laurel Sub only sees two through trains a day.  Both manifests running between Laurel and Great Falls. Sometimes there is the occasional unit grain train headed to the coast.  There are no locals operating in the area where the derailment occurred.  The area where it happened is basically a long straightaway (40 miles give or take) between Judith Gap and Cushman near the former town site of Franklin.  My old map shows a siding in the area.  Switch cause?  Weather at the time was good with mild temps. 

The only changes I've noticed on the Laurel Sub since BNSF absorbed the MRL are unit auto rack trains (empty) headed north. (West)  These usually appear once a month for 2 or three days in a row.  Than nothing more for another month. 

Just wonder who has had the most derailments in 2013?