SUMNER COUNTY, Kansas -- Tuesday was a tense day in southern Sumner County, just a few miles north of Caldwell and the Oklahoma state line. That's where a Union Pacific train sat for hours just above the Chikaskea River.
The river is now out of danger, and the train is off the bridge.
"Our train is secure," Union Pacific representative Tom Lange said. "The cars and locomotive."
Union Pacific officials say it all began Tuesday morning when the crew aboard the 66 car train noticed something was wrong.
"The train crew saw the bow in the bridge and stopped the train," Lange said. "They got off our locomotive to get them to safe ground if you will."
The initial concern was that the trestle may collapse, dropping the train into the river. It could have been a catastrophe considering the train was carrying anhydrous ammonia.
Railroad officials secured the hazardous material and quickly worked to remove the train.
Union Pacific brought another train in and planned to disconnect the locomotive on the original train and send it over the trussel. The rest of the train would be pulled back to safe ground.
As to what caused this incident, the weather is certainly being looked at.
"Our weather data shows about 8.5 inches of rain in the last few days." Lange said. "So, it's possible, but it's not determined fully at this point."
Union Pacific says none of the crew was injured in Tuesday's incident.
Train traffic is being rerouted until the bridge can be repaired. It is unclear how long that may take.
