Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

(The following story by Stan Finger and Rick Plumlee appeared on The Wichita Eagle website on June 16, 2010.)

SUMNER COUNTY, Kansas Union Pacific officials on Tuesday rescued a locomotive that was stranded atop a trestle that was weakened by high waters in the Chikaskia River in Sumner County.

The southbound train was pulling more than 60 cars one of which was carrying anhydrous ammonia when the crew spotted a bow in the trestle shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday.

By the time the train had come to a stop, the first of two locomotives had crossed over the bowed track, Union Pacific spokesman Tom Lange said.

The crew was able to evacuate the train safely, he said.

The two locomotives were later separated and pulled in opposite directions off the trestle by other locomotives. He said the bridge was clear by 6:15 p.m.

The incident, about 13 miles southwest of Wellington, was reported to Sumner County authorities just before 10 a.m.

The train car containing anhydrous ammonia was 18 to 20 cars back from the bridge, Sumner County sheriff's Capt. Mike Yoder said.

"It's not that big of a danger of the train falling into the river," Yoder said.

The anhydrous-ammonia car was secure, Lange said, and there was no leakage.

One of the smaller support beams beneath the track apron was missing, he said, causing the track to bow.

The train had two engines pulling 66 rail cars, Lange said. The trestle, more than 100 feet long, spans the Chikaskia.

Between 5 and 6 inches of rain fell in the Chikaskia drainage basin over the past week, said WeatherData meteorologist Steve Pryor.

"That's a lot of water to drain out into the river," Pryor said.

Isolated areas recorded as much as 8 inches.

"We feel that has had an impact on the bridge," Lange said.

Union Pacific typically has about eight trains a day that use that route, Lange said. Those trains are being rerouted.

The trains primarily carry grain or automobiles, he said, though there are some "manifest" trains, which carry a broad range of materials.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010