Train engineer saw misaligned tracks, couldn't prevent derailment

The engineer of a freight train that derailed in northern Cape Girardeau County was able to see misaligned train tracks, but was unable to stop in time.

The Chicago-bound Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway train was traveling the speed limit of 45 mph when it derailed just before 8 a.m. Monday near County Road 535 near Hines Landing, according to Rod Massman, administrator of railroads for Missouri Department of Transportation.

The train's operator was able to see the misalignment in the tracks that caused the derailment, but as it takes a mile for a train to stop, the engineer was unable to avoid the accident, Massman said.

There were no injuries.

The derailment was caused by heavy weekend rains that washed away shelf rock, which rests between train tracks and the ground, causing a misalignment, Massman said.

The rock was missing for up to 150 feet, he said.

BNSF spokesman Steve Forsberg called the accident a "slip out," something which occurs under a combination of events, including rain, loose ground and pressure.

Massman said that such an accident was rare, something inspectors had not seen in "quite a while." Massman said it was an act of nature, a condition that's difficult to prevent.

The railway was last inspected by BNSF on Sunday and there were no reported problems, Forsberg said, adding that slip outs are hard to detect until the accident occurs. Before the train derailed, another train had passed over the same tracks without incident, he said.

The railway opened back up for service at 7 p.m. Tuesday.