Union Pacific had the tracks cleared and were busy rebuilding 1,500 feet of track Friday morning so that regular freight traffic could resume by 3 p.m., according to Union Pacific Information Officer Mark Davis.
UP and independent contractors worked throughout the night Thursday to remove overturned cars and clean up after 14 cars on a southbound UP train derailed early Thursday morning about a half-mile north of the Tyson Foods plant in east Dexter. Davis said there were approximately 50 to 60 workers called in to help with the cleanup.
Davis said the cause of the derailment is still under investigation.
The derailment damaged 1,500 feet of track, which had to be replaced before normal rail traffic could resume. Davis said the accident occurred where UP had a parallel track so rail traffic continued to move through Dexter, though a 25 mile-per hour speed limit in the derailment area was in effect.
The contents of the 14 cars that derailed included four cars of nut oil, four cars of railroad ties, one car of corn, two empty cars, one car of frozen vegetables, one car of non-hazardous lubricating oil and one car of LP gas.
Davis said some of the freight had to be offloaded onto trucks or other rail cars. He noted that all cars had been removed and restored to an upright position by 8 p.m. Thursday.
The train was traveling from East St. Louis to North Little Rock, Ark. when it derailed. Union Pacific's HazMat team from Oklahoma City was on site by about 8 a.m. Thursday and found no need to evacuate the area.
Davis said the investigation was not complete. A four-person team will assess the condition of the tracks and other factors, such as weather. Team members will review the mechanical components of the train, including rail cars and locomotive. They also will investigate the actions of the two employees on the train, and any others in the area at the time of the accident.