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A Union Pacific Railroad train lost a dozen cars in a derailment Wednesday morning in Boundary County.
The Boundary County Sheriff's Office says the 12 cars were loaded with grain and derailed due to a mudslide about four miles north of Highway 2 on Moyie River Road. None of the cars reached the nearby Moyie River and no HAZMAT material was involved.
The Sheriff's Office say the train was crossing the slide area and the vibration of the train appeared to cause the slide. Four railcars with grain slid down the hill close to the river, and an additional six to eight cars tipped on their sides.
The area of the derailment is very remote with steep terrain.
"Depending on how the Union Pacific approaches this derailment will be the deciding factor on equipment they use," the Sheriff's Office said in a press release. "The Railroad may have to resort to all equipment being High-lined (brought in by rail) to the site."
(story: KHQ.com; photos: Boundary County Sheriff's Office)