Officials were in Stillwater County on Sunday to get an update on the train derailment in the Yellowstone River.
UPDATE:
The nearest train car containing sodium hydrosulfide to the Yellowstone River has been successfully moved and will be rerailed and moved to a safe location, the Montana Rail Link (MRL) announced.
MRL also said that bits of asphalt have been found downstream that may be associated with the derailment. A sample of the asphalt is being investigated.
In addition, the water quality sampling is being performed by a contractor on behalf of MRL, with oversight from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
Preliminary results reportedly show no impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons or sulfur on water quality.
You can read the full Montana Rail Link update below:
“The transfer of the nearest sodium hydrosulfide wagon to the river has been successfully completed and the wagon will be re-railed and moved to a safe location. This process involves moving the contents of one wagon to another wagon or truck. We are aware of the reports of asphalt clumps appearing downstream that may be associated with the derailment and will proactively investigate and sample this material. The water quality sampling is being performed by a contractor on behalf of the Montana Rail Link with oversight from the Montana DEQ and EPA. Preliminary results show no impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons or sulfur on water quality. Water quality testing will continue until cleanup is complete and there are no known risks to public drinking water at this time. Sprint and its contractors are on site to repair a damaged fiber line associated with the incident. As of this afternoon, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials also arrived at the scene to help review the incident.
We appreciate Governor Gianforte and the First Lady’s visit to the site this afternoon, along with messages received from members of Montana’s congressional delegation. Additional equipment, including a large crane, will be brought to the site later tonight to assist with construction and remediation efforts. Site cleanup and remediation will be an extensive process, but we are committed to working closely with all of our local, state and federal partners to perform all required work safely and efficiently.”
UPDATE:
Officials were in Stillwater County on Sunday for an update on the train that derailed in the Yellowstone River.
Governor Greg Gianforte spoke at a press conference after a briefing and thanked those who responded to the incident.
“We were very lucky in what ended up in the river,” Gianforte said. “It could have been much worse, there was no loss of life and I am encouraged that the preliminary water samples come back negative.”
During the press conference, Joseph Racicot, president of Montana Rail Link, shared that the bridge was last inspected in May, with ultrasonic testing of the line conducted within the last two months of the incident.
While the train is out, service is down on the southern line, and Racicot says they’re working to route as much traffic as possible from Laurel to Great Falls through Shelby.
“This is going to be a long outage, not sure of a length of time yet, I have to clean things up first before we can assess the damage to the bridge,” Racicot said.
UPDATE, JUNE 25:
On Sunday morning, the Montana Rail Link (MRL) gave an update on the train derailment near Reed Point, saying work on the site and remediation began Saturday night.
Crews are working on transferring the nearest sodium hydrosulfide wagon to the river, and MRL added that the wagon is safely out of the water and there has been no material release.
MRL says it believes the molten sulfur and asphalt are unlikely to move downstream.
Active sampling of water quality will be conducted throughout the incident.
You can read the full MRL statement below:
“Site work and remediation began Saturday night and is continuing. Road repairs have been made that allow access to begin cleaning the affected cars. The transfer of the sodium hydrosulfide car closest to the river is underway this morning. The car remains safely out of the water and there has been no release related to this material. We continue to closely monitor all emissions involving molten sulfur and asphalt and to mitigate any impacts on the site and surrounding area. Both substances harden and solidify rapidly when interacting with water, and the modeling suggests that significant movement of material downstream is unlikely. Active water quality sampling began yesterday and will continue throughout the incident. We continue to work closely with MT DEQ, EPA, and other local, state, and federal partners in our cleanup, removal, and restoration efforts as a unified command. Montana Rail Link remains committed to addressing any potential impacts to the area as a result of this incident.”
UPDATE:
Montana Rail Link (MRL) provides more information about a train derailment near Reed Point on Saturday.
An initial assessment indicates compromised wagons contained molten sulfur and asphalt, which solidify quickly when exposed to colder temperaturesaccording to MRL.
Two cars carrying sodium hydrosulfate are also included in the record, however neither have entered the water and an initial air quality assessment has confirmed there is no release event associated with those two cars.
“The current focus of operations is to safely respond to the emergency, control all releases and mitigate impacts. Throughout the response, MRL will work with local, state, and federal partners to assess impacts to natural resources and develop appropriate cleanup, removal, and restoration efforts,” MRL stated.
The Railway Division of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers also shared the following statement regarding the derailment:
The Railroad Division of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is grateful that no injuries were reported after today’s train derailment on the Montana bridge. We salute the first responders who quickly responded to the incident.
The IAM Rail Division remains committed to highlighting safety issues and hazards in today’s rail industry. That’s why our union continues to urge Congress to pass the Bipartisan Railroad Safety Act, common-sense legislation that will create several essential safety improvements for the nation’s railroads. This bipartisan legislation will make the rail industry safer for workers and the communities in which they work.
Representatives of the Hermandad del Carmen Ferroviario of the IAM Railway Division will be on site for the investigation. We will monitor the investigation by Montana Rail Link and other authorities into the cause of this derailment and hope that steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
REED POINT, Mont. – A train derailed on the bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River in Stillwater County early Saturday morning.
In a statement, Montana Rail Link (MRL) said no injuries were reported in connection with the derailment.
MRL also reported that there are several cars in the Yellowstone River, and consistent makeup included several hazmat cars.
Columbus Fire Chief Rich Cowger tells us there are seven or eight cars involved and some cars contained asphalt and molten sulfur. There is no oil involved in the derailment.
Twin Bridge Rd. in Reed Point has been closed by the Department of Transportation due to the derailment.
Water treatment facilities in the area initially shut down water treatment, and the City of Laurel has since restarted its water treatment plant.
Billings Public Works Director Debi Meling said her first concern was what was in the river.but a model of the river found that material in the river will not reach Billings until 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm Saturday night.
By the time potential contaminants arrive in the Magic City, Meling says the city’s warehouses are full, so it’s possible to shut down for a couple of hours without interruption in Billings.
Due to the derailment, parts of the Yellowstone and Stillwater rivers are closed at the request of Stillwater County officials.
The Montana Department of Transportation is telling people not to stop on the highway of I-90 around mile marker 398.
Gov. Greg Gianforte said he is monitoring the situation and the state stands ready to provide support. Senator Jon Tester is also in contact with local, state and federal officials about the derailment.
This derailment marks the fifth in the state in 2023 alone.
The following information about the river closure is from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks:
The Stillwater River is closed from the Jefferies Landing fishing access site to the confluence with the Yellowstone River. If boaters see this alert while on the river below the Jefferies Landing fishing access site, the last exit is the Fireman’s Point fishing access site.
The Yellowstone River is closed from the Pelican Fishing Access Site to the Buffalo Mirage Fishing Access Site to boaters and floaters. This includes the Braaten and Indian Fort fishing access sites.
From Indian Point to Buffalo Mirage, people are being told to avoid the water due to possible contact with contaminants.
The Stillwater River fishing access sites upstream of the Whitebird Fishing Access Site remain open.
Fishing access sites downstream of the Whitebird Fishing Access Site to the confluence of the Yellowstone River are closed to boating and floating.
You can read Montana Rail Link’s full statement below:
“This morning at approximately 6:45 am MDT, a part of a train traveling west near Reed Point derailed while traveling over a bridge over Yellowstone. The train crew is safe and no injuries have been reported. There are multiple cars in the river and consistent makeup included multiple hazmat cars The cause of the derailment is currently under investigation with MRL personnel and first responders on scene DES and NRC have been notified The safety of our employees and the public remains our top priority. We are committed to addressing any potential impacts to the area as a result of this incident and working to understand the reasons behind the accident.”
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