The train, BNSF Railway H-KCKSPO1-28, was traveling west on MRL’s Fourth Subdivision on July 3 when 19 cars derailed about 4 p.m. just east of the Fish Creek Trestle, about 45 miles west of Missoula. No one was injured in the incident.
Three of the six of the cars carrying fuselages went down the embankment and landed in the water. Other derailed cars included three enclosed cars of Boeing parts, six idler flats, two covered hoppers, and a tank car. The aircraft components were in transit from Kansas to Boeing’s assembly plant in Renton, Wash. On Saturday, Boeing officials told the Wall Street Journal that it was assessing the damage to the fuselages and it was unclear if they could still be used.
Officials with the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks agency were on hand Friday monitoring the cleanup. However, they decided against closing the river for recreation use because of the holiday.
The Fourth Subdivision was closed from Thursday until midday Saturday while crews worked over the holiday weekend to clear the wreck and rebuild the track. Hulcher Services of Pasco, Wash., and RJ Corman of Billings assisted with the cleanup. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
While the line was closed, MRL detoured some trains over its Tenth Subdivision between Missoula and Paradise, where it rejoins the Fourth Subdivision. The detours forced the railroad to use helpers over Evaro Hill west of Missoula, a rare sight in the MRL era.
Trains News Wire is awaiting additional information from the railroad.
For more on the Boeing 737 moves, see the May 2014 issue of Trains magazine.
I'm confused… this article says the fuselages are headed to Renton WA. Several years back, I was on US 50 in Kansas, when I spotted a very weird looking load, right behind the locomotive… So I found myself a good vantage point to take some pictures… in time that train headed east to my position. It was a flat car with an fuselage and other assorted items coming from points west, now headed east… and yes I know I was headed east.. had been in Colorado the day before and I live in Milwaukee.. was headed back home…
So was these train really headed to Washington State or was it really headed to Kansas?
@JERRY DEILY – If it is as it used to be, these are not general merchandise freight trains that have other cars in the consist which would allow the loads to be spaced apart. It is a special loads move of only the aircraft fuselages idlers and the parts box cars. They are an oversized commodity that requires special routing and clearances that a standard mixed merchandise freight would not need to be subjected.
I'm surprised no one has yet commented on the "putting all your eggs in one basket" theme. If an aircraft manufacturer is shipping fuselages by rail and is going to consign several to one train, hopefully such a shipper will in the future consider having them dispersed them throughout the train so that a derailment will be less likely to damage the entirety of the high-value cargo. Yes, I do know that this will require the services of a classification yard.
Makes you wonder- was it bad track, deferred maintenance of the track, too heavy of a load or just wrong place wrong time
So this is where flight MH 370 ended up! 😉
Boeing and BNSF reintroduce sea planes! Or jet amphibians, take your choice…
At least two fuselages look broken; the left most one in on the slope and one up on the ROW that the cockpit iappears to be broken off.
On the comment about the P-8 Poseidon's, I don't think any of the visible bodies would be in that program as all look to have a full allotment of window openings which the Poseidon's wouldn't have.
The pictures remind me of the Lynchburg Va. CSX derailment where another rail bed collapsed into the drink.
Just wondering;; if this a new example of the " TRAINS MAG. JINKS"?
What part of this story is 'EXCLUSIVE'?
This has been reported from Missoula to Wichita for several days.
Nothing on Boeing's website about it yet. I wonder how many of those were for the U.S. Navy (P-8A Poseidon) or the Indian Navy (P-8I)?
The fuselages seem to be attached to the cars very well…
Any ideas on the cause of this derailment yet?
Let's hope MRL had a good insurance! 🙂
Bargin prices, west Africa here they come.
Can imagine an airframe engineer in Congo coming across a dead salmon.
Given that the fuselages were partly submerged and in at least one picture that I saw, had damage, I suspect that they will have to be broken up and used for parts. I hope that there was plenty of insurance to cover both the track damage and the loss of cargo.
Those 737 airplane bodies can be sold to a movie studio for special effects and stunt scenes involving airplanes.
Every derailment is expensive, but this one will be very expensive! The logistics of recovery and potential environmental impact complicates the work.At least 2 of the bodies are broken, at least by looking at the pictures.
Hope that all the workers stay safe on this risky project.
Time for the big hook!
Kicking it up a notch from "pre-washed" jeans, Boeing can now offer "pre-crashed" fuselages. Note, however, the three fuselages remained tied onto their flatcars, improving the likelihood they can be salvaged.
Looks like the Trains curse is still alive and well. First Filmore and Western gets evicted, and now a very expensive BNSF/MRL derailment. The ghost of David P. Morgan is up to mischief. Perhaps an ES44AC should be sacrificed on a scrapper's altar to appease him.
A scene designed for Danneman's submersible camera!
Hope all parties involved can get things cleaned up ASAP.