Train derailment won’t disrupt service on line

RENO -- A freight train derailment in Nevada will not disrupt rail service on one of the country's main east-west lines as initially feared, Union Pacific officials said Sunday.

Since the derailment Saturday in the remote high desert about 260 miles east of Reno, the railroad has determined a parallel line can be used to get all trains through the area, rail company spokeswoman Zoe Richmond said.

Trains would have been forced to make long detours to the north or south without the parallel line, she said. "There will be no major disruptions in rail service as previously thought," Richmond said. "At this point, we don't have any delays, and we're not anticipating to have any delays."

Amtrak uses the same line, and its California Zephyr service was not affected by the derailment, a spokeswoman said.

Fifteen of the train's 99 cars were involved in the derailment along the Humboldt River about 10 miles west of Carlin, Richmond said, and all the cars were carrying corn.

No one was injured.

On Sunday, five cars were still in the river, and another car was in a tunnel. The train was passing through the 875-foot tunnel when the derailment occurred.

A nearby 102-year-old bridge over the river collapsed a couple of hours after the derailment, Richmond said. Officials are unsure how much time will be needed to restore it.

"It's going to take some maneuvering to get trains through on that one line, but we'll be OK," Richmond said.

The cause of the derailment is under investigation by the rail company.