COLUMBUS, Neb. -- Downtown Columbus crossings have been cleared after a train struck a piece of heavy equipment in the rail yard and derailed, the Omaha World-Herald reported.
Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said Friday morning that the equipment had been putting another locomotive back on a track. It had derailed earlier Thursday.
Davis says the piece of equipment was left too near the rail line and was struck by the train around 8:30 Thursday night. Two locomotives and 22 cars left the tracks.
The equipment operator remains in a local hospital for observation. Davis says the crew members were treated and released.
UP expects to have at least one of the two rail lines cleared by 3 p.m. Friday but had no estimate on when its companion line will be reopened to traffic.
(The preceding article was published January 22, 2010, by the Omaha World-Herald.)
