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Crews to attempt to remove fuselages from Montana River

Work crews are expected today at the scene, shown here Saturday, where a freight train derailed near Alberton in Western Montana, sending three cars carrying Boeing 737 fuselages down an embankment into the Clark Fork River. Montana Rail Link spokeswoman Lynda Frost said 19 cars from the westbound train derailed Thursday.
Associated Press
Work crews are expected today at the scene, shown here Saturday, where a freight train derailed near Alberton in Western Montana, sending three cars carrying Boeing 737 fuselages down an embankment into the Clark Fork River. Montana Rail Link spokeswoman Lynda Frost said 19 cars from the westbound train derailed Thursday.

MISSOULA – Crews today will attempt to remove three Boeing 737 fuselages that tumbled down a steep embankment and into the Clark Fork River in Western Montana after a train derailed.

Montana Rail Link spokeswoman Lynda Frost said Saturday that it’s unclear the type of challenge involved because it’s the first time the company has faced such a task.

No one was injured when 19 cars from a westbound train derailed Thursday about 10 miles west of Alberton. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

The train carried six fuselages. Three others also fell off but stayed on land. Frost said Boeing has had workers at the scene assessing the damage.

The fuselages were headed to Renton, Washington, to be assembled into completed airliners.

Thirteen of the cars that derailed were carrying freight that also included soybeans and denatured alcohol. Six were empty. Frost said the alcohol didn’t leak and no soybeans spilled.