Train derails near Chewelah

A train derailed north of Chewelah near Duncan Road late Thursday night and officials believe the short line Kettle Falls International Railway will be closed at least through Monday.

Eleven cars left the tracks about 20 miles south of Kettle Falls around 10 p.m., said OmniTRAX spokesman Ron Margulis. Several cars were carrying lumber or wood products and none of the derailed cars were carrying hazardous materials, he said.

The cause of the derailment is still under investigation. “We don’t know if it was weather related,” Margulis said.

The short line railway runs between British Columbia and Spokane and usually has one or two trains daily, he said. The track was damaged and will have to be repaired before trains can begin running again. That could take until Monday or Tuesday.

“Before we do anything we’ll test the track,” he said.