Train goes off the rails

A derailment April 20 stopped this northbound Washington & Idaho train on the grade above the North Fork of Palouse River. Crews were still at work Wednesday clearing the cars from the site which has no road access.

Wheels under the grain hopper cars went off the rails at the front of the train which was pulled by two engines.

Crews from Washington & Idaho Railway are now working to clear a train which was stopped by a derailment on the tracks north of Palouse Friday, April 20.

The train was stopped on a confined stretch of railway along the North Fork of the Palouse River about one-and-one-half miles north of Palouse. The train is stopped below the Highway 27 curve below the Redman ranch.

The first of two engines pulling the train stopped just short of a cut in the rocks on both sides of the track.

The stopped train was hauling three grain hopper cars from Palouse Grain Growers and five cars loaded with Bennett Lumber products. None of the cars spilled, but two of the grain cars at the front of the train are leaning after having left the tracks.

The hillside grade above the river lacks road access. Washington & Idaho crews have been excavating along the back cars of the train to get access to the hopper cars which are off the tracks at the front.