According to today's USDA Grain Transportation Report, on June 24, in Stillwater County, MT, a Montana Rail Link (MRL) train carrying hazardous materials derailed over a bridge, sending 10 cars into the Yellowstone River.
Grain is one of the main commodities carried by MRL, along with coal and industrial products.
To mitigate the effects of the derailment, approximately 20 trains per day (the typical traffic on the MRL line) are being rerouted onto BNSF Railway’s Northern Transcon route.
Although the rerouted trains could contribute to congestion, both grain and non-grain rail traffic have been below average this year.
Until Tuesday, July 4, the derailment response focused on site cleanup and remediation, and all cars involved in the derailment have been removed from the river and bridge remains.
Since July 4, the focus of the derailment response has shifted to bridge reconstruction. Updates on the MRL derailment are posted here.