Amtrak Train Derails Near Glacier Park

A locomotive and four cars in Amtrak’s Seattle-to-Chicago train derailed on Thursday, but no injuries were reported, the railroad said. Passengers remained aboard the idle train hours after the derailment.

It occurred at about 9:05 a.m. MST as the eastbound Empire Builder approached Essex, a settlement next to Glacier National Park.

Amtrak spokesman Kevin Johnson described the derailment as minor and said the cars remained upright.

Passengers were still aboard the train late in the afternoon. Johnson said there had been plans to transport them aboard cars that remained on the tracks, but that plan was delayed because of the time necessary to investigate the derailment.

Late Thursday afternoon, Johnson said arrangements to transport passengers by bus or air would be made if there were no indications the train would soon move.

The derailed cars were a diner, a baggage car, a crew sleeper and a passenger sleeper, Johnson said. The train consisted of three locomotives and 11 cars.