CLEANUP EFFORTS UNDERWAY AFTER TRAIN DERAILMENT AT HIGHWAY 36, NEW WEHDEM ROAD
Authorities responded this (Tuesday) morning to a train derailment south of Brenham.
The derailment was reported shortly after 9:30 a.m. at the railroad crossing located at Highway 36 South and New Wehdem Road.
According to DPS Sergeant Justin Ruiz, approximately 17 train cars left the track, all of them carrying coal. The train had a total of 127 cars.
Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Bryan Ruemke said there were no injuries and no hazards to the public.
One home in the area did lose power, and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative was notified.
According to Ruemke, the crossing will be closed for “quite some time”, beyond today.
The public is asked to avoid the area while officials work to clear the scene.
BNSF will lead the investigation into what caused the derailment.
My husband is a retired railroad car inspector (40 years in Houston). I showed him the video posted on Rusty Surette’s FB page showing the few seconds before the derailment happened. The RR FRA would be prudent to look at that because it visually shows where, when and how this occurred. Apparently the day before, according to a viewer on Surette’s page, a maintenance crew were working on the rails. In the video one can see where and when the section of the train uncoupled at that rail spot causing the derailment. Seems the maintenance crew has some explaining to do. Fortunately for all, no one was injured.
BNSF was working on the tracks right there YESTERDAY!!