HELENA – Frozen turkeys are being gathered up and oatmeal vacuumed up at the site of a BNSF Railway Co. freight train derailment near Glacier National Park in northern Montana.
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said Thursday that crews hope to have the line cleared, repaired and reopened by 6 a.m. Friday.
Nineteen cars of the 115-car train derailed shortly before noon Wednesday near Essex, about 45 miles east of Whitefish. Nine of the cars carried freight, including lumber products, frozen turkeys and tractors. Some oatmeal also spilled.
The cause of the derailment is still under investigation. No one was injured.
Amtrak Empire Builder passengers were being bused between Havre (HAV’-ur) and Whitefish. Melonas says some freight trains were being re-routed to the Montana Rail Link in southern Montana.