'Unfounded' Report of Leaking Tanker Car at BNSF Rail Yard in Fridley

All Fridley Fire Department units responded to the reported incident on a 'routine basis.'

Update (8:55 a.m. Sunday): A report of a possibly leaking tanker car at the BNSF rail yard in Fridley near 44th Avenue NE and Main Street NE "turned out to be unfounded," an Anoka County Emergency Dispatch supervisor told Patch. Earlier updates (Note: photo is a file photo from a past incident.): 8:27 a.m.: Anoka County Emergency Dispatch radio confirmed that remaining Fridley Fire Department units are not yet clear of the scene. 8:12 a.m.: Fridley Chief 1 and Fridley Engine 3 will stay on the scene but all other units are clear. 8 a.m.: Police Clips has posted about the incident on Facebook, judging from scanner reports that so far it is "More of a head's up than something to really worry about." 7:49 a.m.: Fridley Engine 1 arriving and …

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Fridley on YouTube

Fridley on YouTube: BNSF Railyard after Dark

Two neighbors observe the comings and goings and turntable turnings of engines and trains.

On Friday, William Lere posted this two-minute narrated YouTube tour of nighttime activity at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard in Fridley.

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FRIDLEY PATCH TOP 20 OF 2012: CHHS Student Dies Train-Hopping (#13)

Vigils for Chris Hanson drew hundreds to mourn the Columbia Heights High School student.

Police ID Pedestrian Killed by Train in Fridley

John Robert Iverson, 29, of Blaine died on BNSF tracks north of 77th Way NE at 8 p.m. Monday.

Update (12:15 p.m. Tuesday): The St. Paul Pioneer Press contacted the father of John Robert Iverson, the 29-year-old Blaine man who was hit by a freight train and killed in Fridley Monday night:  The incident was the result of a horrible accident, Robert Iverson, John Iverson's father, said when reached at his Blaine home Tuesday. He said that his son had no children and was not married. "He was just a sweet, loving person," Robert Iverson said. Update (11:30 a.m. Tuesday): The Fridley Police Department has identified the man who died when a train struck him about 8 p.m. Monday just north of 77th Way NE in Fridley. He was Blaine resident John Robert Iverson, 29. Get local headlines in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter. Update (9:45 a.…

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Chris Steller

10:56 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012

"john malkovich," get a real user name! (Unless that is your real name)   more ›

Most Viewed in 2011: Top 50 Fridley Patch Posts of the Year (Nos. 26-30)

Rails repaired after derailment, Fridley Fire Department in action.

Here are five more of the 50 most-viewed posts of 2011 at Fridley Patch: 30. Fridley Tracks Nearly Fixed Where Freight Train Derailed But Fridley Station will remain closed until Tuesday evening's special Twins trains. 29. Fridley Fire Dept. Helps Fight Gas Station Blaze in Columbia Heights The Speedy Mart at 40th and University is a total loss. 28. Fridley Firefighters Put Out Blaze at Kurt Manufacturing on Hwy. 65 Fire chief: It's the biggest at Kurt Manufacturing I remember. 27. First Freight Trains Roll Past Fridley Derail Site; Northstar Not Yet The first BNSF cars went by late Monday, but Northstar won't run Tuesday after all. 26. Brand Name Deals Store To Close in Fridley What will you miss when Brand Name Deals is gone? What would …

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Quick Video: Northstar Train Breezes Past a Freight Train in Fridley

Tortoise and the Hare: commuter train blows by a BNSF freight engine.

Both trains were traveling north at Osborne Road NE in Fridley on Nov. 30, 2011. Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad replaced the tracks in the area on July 12, 2011. . A train derailment took place at a bridge just south of this site on July 16, 2011.

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Train Derailment Cleanup Dragging

City says progress slow where BNSF train left the tracks at Locke Lake.

Train Derailment Site Draws Explorers Despite Being Off-limits

The Fridley train derailment site is closed, yet some go past barriers to explore the site and use the trail.

The site of the July 16 Fridley train derailment is undergoing continued clean-up efforts even though passenger and freight rail traffic 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 …

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Amy Paddock

9:39 am on Tuesday, August 2, 2011

This is nice! =)   more ›

Federal Investigation of Fridley Train Derailment Could Take Nine Months

Deadline for Federal Railway Administration is 270 days.

If you're wondering exactly how and why the train derailed July 16 in Fridley, be prepared to wait. The Federal Railroad Administration's investigation may take as long as 270 days, according to spokesman Robert Kulat: As per our policy, no details will be available until the investigation report is complete, which can take up to nine months. That means we may not know what really happened, at least in the judgement of the federal government, until April 11, 2012. Read this PDF for more from the FRA about the agency's investigations.

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UPDATED Photos of Corn Cleanup at Fridley Train-Derailment Site

Rail cars' contents and even some cars remain west of Rice Creek crossing.

(Updated below) A contractor was at the site of the July 16 derailment in Fridley Monday, cleaning up corn just west of the Rice Creek crossing that collapsed when the freight train left the tracks. A dump truck slowly filled with spilled grain from the shores of Locke Lake, while nearby two Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail cars remained on their sides just west of the Rice Creek crossing. Monday marks a week since the first freight train crossed the repaired derailment site. BNSF spokesperson Steven Forsberg said it's a typical timetable: That is normal cleanup following a derailment. It will continue [until] all equipment [and] spilled material is remvoved. It can take several days. On July 20, Fridley Police announced the lifting of a …

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Amy Paddock

12:34 pm on Saturday, July 30, 2011

Thanks Chris. I know it can be hard to clean up the diesel in the soil, but any improvements is better then zero, and I was interested. You do a great job.   more ›