February 23

Train derailment dumps chicken feed

BY KEITH EDWARDS Staff Writer

LEEDS -- Five train rail cars, all carrying chicken feed, derailed Friday morning, but no injuries were reported.

click image to enlarge

A Pan Am train derailed this morning at the intersection of routes 219 and 106 in Leeds, near the Wayne town line. No injuries were reported.

Staff photo by Andy Molloy

The Pan Am Railways train derailed near the intersection of routes 219 and 106 in Leeds, near the Wayne town line, and completely closed that section of Route 219 until the rail cars were placed back on the track later in the morning.

No injuries occurred and no hazardous materials were spilled, according to Rob Kulat, spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration.

The site was cleared Friday and cars were back on the track by late Friday afternoon, according to Kulat.

Route 219 reopened to traffic shortly before 11 a.m., according to Ted Talbot, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

Talbot said it appeared the train was backing its cars into a grain silo.

An Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office dispatcher said Pan Am Railways notified them of the derailment about 5:30 a.m. He said a crane was coming from Massachusetts -- where the railroad is based -- to help put the cars back on the tracks.

On scene that morning, a dozen Pan Am workers could be seen using an excavator, tools and engines to right the derailed train.

A Pan Am official reached by phone Friday morning said only Vice President Cynthia Scarano could discuss the derailment, and she was not available to do so until Monday.

Kulat said the Federal Railroad Administration sent one inspector to the derailment site Friday. He said a cause has not been determined.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

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