DANNY HENLEY/COURIER-POST. Efforts were underway Tuesday morning to put derailed cars back on the tracks in Hannibal. The derailment occurred approximately 50 yards east of 30th Street.By DANNY HENLEY
Courier-Post Reporter
Posted Aug. 16, 2016 at 12:47 PM
Hannibal, MO
Norfolk Southern investigating cause of five-car derailment in Hannibal
The cause of a five-car derailment in Hannibal early Tuesday morning is under investigation, according to a spokeswoman for Norfolk Southern Corp.
The cars, which were part of a Norfolk Southern train, jumped the tracks at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, inside Norfolk Southern’s rail yard in Hannibal, reports Susan Terpay, director corporate communications with the railroad. Two of the cars were empty and three contained coconut oil. The cars did not turn over and no product spilled.
The derailment happened just a short distance from the backyard of Allene Nelson, 2925 Bowling Ave.
“I didn't hear it (derailment) this morning,” said Nelson, who has lived near the railroad tracks for over a quarter century. “You worry things like that (derailments) might happen, but there had not been one in the 25 years we've been here.”
Norfolk Southern brought in heavy equipment from RJ Corman Railroad Services to lift the rail cars’ wheels back on the tracks. The efforts to return the cars to the tracks were already underway when Nelson ventured out Tuesday.
“I left over here about 8:30 this morning and they were already there,” she said.
Despite the derailment, which occurred approximately 50 yards east of 30th Street where there are multiple sets of tracks, rail operations were continuing in that area Tuesday.