News & Reviews News Wire News photos: BNSF train derailed by tornado in Nebraska

News photos: BNSF train derailed by tornado in Nebraska

By Trains Staff | April 26, 2024

| Last updated on April 27, 2024


No injuries reported in Friday afternoon incident

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Locomotives showing damage after tornado that derailed freight cars
BNSF locomotives show the effects of a storm that saw some of the train’s freight cars derailed by a tornado. Sam Brodersen

WAVERLY, Neb. — A BNSF train was derailed this afternoon when it was struck by a tornado between Waverly and Lincoln, Neb.. The tornado was one of a series in an outbreak across the Midwest today (Friday, April 26).

KSBN-TV reports the incident occurred about 3:25 p.m., according to a BNSF representative. There were no injuries to the crew and no hazardous materials were released.

Waverly, on BNSF’s Creston Subdivision, is about 12 miles northeast of Lincoln, Neb.

The Rural Radio Network reported a second train was also derailed, according to the Lancaster emergency manager, but that report remains unconfirmed.

At least three people were injured as at least 60 tornadoes were reported across five states, CNN reports.

Aerial view of derailed freight cars
The overturned cars of the train struck by the tornado. Sam Brodersen

3 thoughts on “News photos: BNSF train derailed by tornado in Nebraska

  1. A YouTube video called “Train vs Tornado: What Really Happened” shows dash cam video from the last, rear facing locomotive on a UP manifest near Lawrence, IL during the last two minutes of its wild ride, complete with sounds. It is fairly unbelievable! I can only imagine what the BNSF crew was thinking as they saw their tornado approaching. Watch this video and you will get an appreciation of Man made vs Nature made, if you have never observed or been in a Tornado before…

    1. That must be private video, I couldnt find it; but a buddy showed me, on his cell phone, THIS actual train (BNSF) in the story. The engineer recorded it on his cell phone. They were like, ‘I think its coming this way’ right after they thought it was lifting over the interstate. They hid in the nose once they knew they were going to have a direct hit! Windshield blown out and tree debris all over, they also had gone into emergency so they knew they had cars on the ground.

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