Clean-up continues in Chandler

Wanda Nichols Photo A VIEW FROM THE NECHES RIVER TRESTLE BRIDGE -- Union Pacific crews were able to contain several thousand gallons of oil that spilled into the Neches River with a series of booms.

Nine days after 28 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed in Chandler, crews are still hard at it cleaning up.

The derailment occurred south of State Highway 31, in a wooded area just west of the Neches River bridge around 4:00 p.m., Sunday, March 4, scattering cars, tankers, railroad track, ties, and debris. No injuries were reported in the incident.

A fire, believed to have been started by the metal train wheels scraping the track, was fed by nearby brush and the creosote treated ties sending up a thick black cloud of smoke causing concern for public safety. As a precaution area residents were evacuated for a short time.

One tanker carrying about 32,000 gallons of lube oil had ruptured and spilled an undetermined amount of the oil onto the ground and into the Neches River, north of Lake Palestine. Crews contained the oil with a series of booms which is a buoy system. Since oil floats on water, equipment was brought in to vacuum the oil from the water's surface. It is believed none of the oil flowed into the lake.

Wanda Nichols Photo WIDE OPEN TRACK -- A big difference from a week ago. Crews worked swiftly to repair damage to the railroad track between the Neches River trestle bridge and FM 315. Their biggest challenge now is getting the cars out amid the muddy mess created by recent rains.

"The environment cleanup has been the biggest part," said Joe Arbona Union Pa- cific Information Officer. "The good news is the water samples came out normal. "

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said the water tests are good and the wildlife is thriving in the area. However, as a precautionary measure the booms have been left in place for the time being.

While containing the oil spill other Union Pacific crews began to assess the extensive damage to the railroad track, plowed up by the plundering cars and tankers. A siding track, used by parked trains, was repaired and open for business by 5:00 p.m., Monday.

In the meantime, a board road was built from the command center located on the south side of Hwy. 31, near the Chandler cemetery, to the derailment site to accommodate the heavy equipment necessary to haul in gravel and rock to rebuild the track's foundation, as well as new railing and ties, and to remove the damaged parts..

By Thursday afternoon, the main line was up and running, Arbona said.

Rain and muddy conditions have slowed the progress of removing the damaged derailed cars that were removed from the track.

"The biggest challenge is getting the damaged cars out," Arbona said. "We may have to cut them into small pieces to haul them out."

The cause of the derailment is still unknown. Arbona said with so much damage investigators have had difficulty determining exactly where the derailment took place.

The cars were part of a 115-car train traveling from Shreveport to Houston, Arbona said.