Eastern Railroad Discussion > Derailment in Westminster VT; 2 units in the drink

According to an Associated Press <A HREF="http://www.boston.com/news/daily/09/train.htm&quot;&gt;story&lt;/A&gt; on the Boston Globe's site, an NECR train carrying rock salt went off the rails in Westminster VT early today, and both units ended up in the Connecticut River. The most likely cause is a washout. Amtrak will probably have to bus Vermonter passengers aound the site.

I read on another board that there might have been a big washout. Any confirmation??

Of all places, there is a photo on the Western Board.

O.K. I'll post it here also.

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Interesting, news media has tried contacting the NECR, no response from them. Evasive manuvers?

There is more news in today's Boston Globe, which BTW can be accessed at http://www.boston.com/globe

This URL will only be good today
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/100/metro/Fuel_salt_spill_into_Conn_River%2b.shtml

There were 3 engines on the train, they hit a mudslide, the lead made it through, but the trailing two didn't. They are trying to pump the diesel fuel out, but the river is rising due to the weather we've been having and it's full of ice chunks, making boom containment impossible. The first car was a hopper of rock salt, it is also polluting the river something nasty. There's several more "outsized" hoppers (maybe covered?) of silver salt? in the river too. It's a mess.

Dave.

Actually, only 1 GP-38 ended up in the river. The lead unit made
it across the washout (rough ride) and the train separated at the
second unit, which ended up in the river, upright. The third unit
end up on its side on the river bank, leaking fuel. 13 cars went off
and some broke open. None went into the river, but the contents of
some probably aren't doing the environment much good. Pics can be
seen at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NMRO/files/NECRwreck/

Umm... did you read the Globe article?
The river has risen since those pictures were taken.

Dave.