Train Derailment Site Draws Explorers Despite Being Off-limits

The site of the is undergoing even though and has resumed—and some people have explored the area even though it is still off-limits to the public. 

Several freight cars of corn remain at the site, and the Mississippi River Regional Trail, which crosses under the tracks at the site of the derailment, is still closed to bicyclists and hikers.

The derailment of a BNSF freight train disrupted rail traffic for three days as corn from 17 cars derailed freight cars and diesel fuel from derailed engines spilled into Rice Creek and Locke Lake. 

Blamed for the derailment are the heavy rains over the days leading up to the derailment.

According to Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) spokesperson Amy McBeth, "Clean up of the derailment site continues. We estimate that all of the remaining cars will be removed on Monday. While corn clean-up has been ongoing, the removal of the remaining cars will allow that work to be accelerated." 

Signs and caution tape clearly mark the trail and site as closed and unsafe, as they will for the remainder of the cleanup and during reconstruction of the trail.

However, despite the warnings, some people have been drawn to explore the site of one of the areas biggest recent events (see photos and ).

McBeth stated that she was unaware of people climbing over the remaining train cars.

"For their safety, people should not climb on the rail cars," McBeth cautioned. "Crews are working to remove these derailed cars and they should be out of the area by early next week."