Dozens of Coal Cars Toppled in Montana Train Derailment
The Custer County Sheriff's Office shared details on their Facebook page regarding a train derailment Monday night (2/25) near Miles City, MT. Per the Custer County Fire Department, the incident occurred west of town in Custer County.
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Authorities reported that "between 25 and 27" coal cars were destroyed and/or spilled near the bank of the Yellowstone River. Emergency response teams were quickly deployed and cleanup efforts were underway on Tuesday. No injuries were reported.
The incident is currently being managed in coordination with BNSF Railway, wrote Custer County Fire Chief Cory Cheguis. In a statement, BNSF said,
BNSF Railway can confirm that at approximately 8:00 p.m. local time on Monday, February 24, 2025, 25 rail cars carrying coal derailed west of Miles City, Montana in Custer County. There were no injuries reported and the cause is under investigation. We appreciate the quick response and support from Custer County first responders and emergency management. BNSF teams are on site working to restore service and we anticipate re-opening the line mid-day tomorrow (Wednesday 2/26).
The cause of the derailment is under investigation, with early speculation indicating the tracks washed out from spring runoff.
NPR reported in 2023, that there were more than 1,110 train derailments in 2022; an average of three per day. Thankfully, most are not deadly.
About BNSF. "BNSF Railway is one of North America’s leading freight transportation companies, operating a rail network of 32,500 route miles in 28 states and three Canadian provinces." In 2023, the company hauled enough coal to power nearly 30 million homes for a year.
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