http://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/cars-30164-roodhouse-eight.html
November 16, 2010 11:19 AM
MAGGIE BORMAN
Journal-Courier
ROODHOUSE — This Greene County community of about 2,200 dodged a bullet Tuesday when nine empty Kansas City Southern Railway cars derailed, just four cars shy of a loaded anhydrous ammonia train car.
Police Chief Steve Speeks said the derailment occurred at 8:05 a.m. Tuesday as the 144-car train was making its way from the west and making a slow turn onto its southbound track.
Four engines and six cars made the turn and were on the southbound section of track just on the west side of U.S. 67 in the middle of Roodhouse. The nine cars that followed then jumped the track and fell to the west side of the tracks and near the railroad overpass on West Rowe Street. The remaining upright cars stretched to the west and out of town.
“The railroad told me anywhere the train was blocking a roadway crossing they had uncoupled the cars to allow road traffic access,” Speeks said.
The chief said he was told the train was traveling between 3 to 4 mph when the cars derailed.
No cause of the derailment was immediately apparent Tuesday morning.
Kansas City Southern Railway Company spokeswoman Doniele Kane said the derailment in Roodhouse involved no hazardous materials and is under investigation.
Kane said no one was injured.
Resident Flo Bryant said this is the third time in about 30 years a derailment has occurred at the same location. The railroad track coming from the west to the north-south spur has a curve, and as trains take the curve to the right, they have derailed, with the train cars always falling off to the right side of the track.
Resident Mickey Evans was sitting at his kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee in front of his double patio doors and had just finished talking