Two freight trains collide in McPherson County
Two Union Pacific freight trains collided in rural McPherson County but no injuries or major hazardous waste spills were reported.
The collision occurred at 5:58 a.m. in the 1400 block of 24th Avenue, a McPherson County emergency dispatcher said. That’s between Canton and Galva east of McPherson.
Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis says an eastbound train hit the back of a westbound train that was moving onto a side track to let the other train pass. The trains were flat cars carrying ocean-going containers packed mostly with consumer goods.
A train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago had two locomotives and five rail cars derail, while 15 cars and a locomotive on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles derailed.
Davis said it wasn’t clear how much track was damaged or when the line will be reopened. About 20 trains use the line every day.
Contributing: Stan Finger of The Eagle
This story was originally published September 25, 2014 at 8:03 AM with the headline "Two freight trains collide in McPherson County."