Train derails east of town

The locomotive at the tai end of the two-mile-long train was dragged for several miles after it derailed.

A Union Pacific train derailed approximately ten miles east of Mountain Home early Friday afternoon.

The last of two "pusher" locomotives at the end of the two-mile-long westbound train derailed for causes yet to be officially determined, although the two-man crew of the train suspects a brake may have locked up.

The derailed locomotive was dragged alongside the track for several miles before the train could come to a stop.

None of the crewmembers suffered any injury.

The incident triggered a small grass fire that was put out by the Moutain Home Rural Fire Department.

The derailment occurred on a single-line section of track, a few miles before the double-line portion that runs through Mountain Home. Another train on the double-line track, which stopped about six miles from the lead locomotive of the derailed train, blocked both the 12th and 18th Street crossings.

The derailment occurred roughly in the vicinity of the Highway 30 intersection with Beet Dump Road.

It's not immediately known how long it will take for Union Pacific to bring in special cranes to remove the locomotive, which weighs a little over 200 tons, but typically, in an incident such as this, tracks are cleared in 24-48 hours. Until the line is cleared and undergone a safety check, however, Union Pacific will reroute traffic through other lines.