Temporary Track Built Around Wreck

Union Pacific Railroad crews have built a makeshift track around two trains that collided, restoring the main line’s connection between southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, company spokesman Ed Trandahl said.

A train traveling 10 miles northwest of Huntington, Ore., struck the end of another freighter moving onto a siding Friday afternoon, derailing two locomotives and five cars.

Union Pacific crews built a “shoofly” temporary track around the trains, allowing Amtrak and freights to pass by, Trandahl said Saturday.

About 2,600 gallons of diesel from the locomotives poured into the Burnt River. Diesel floats on top of water, so booms were dropped onto the river to rein in the fuel. About 1,400 gallons of diesel also were extracted from the engines.

The train, struck as it was moving onto the siding, was carrying new cars and other materials. Trandahl estimates the damage and cost to the railroad at nearly $1 million.

An engineer and conductor sustained minor injuries.