MISSOULA — Montana Rail Link says it has ruled out human error as the cause of a July train derailment along the Clark Fork River in western Montana that destroyed six Boeing 737 fuselages.
MRL spokesman Jim Lewis tells the Missoulian that simulations performed by a contractor hired by MRL were inconclusive, but he says they suggested an issue with the track alignment.
The Federal Railroad Administration requires railroads to investigate derailments. FRA spokesman Mike Booth said Wednesday the results are submitted to the agency and used as part of its investigation, which could take up to a year to complete.
The 19-car derailment happened on July 3 and left the airplane bodies in or near the river.
The fuselages were being shipped from Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas, to Renton, Washington.