[030613.EN.LOG] Freight Train Crash Renews US Concerns Over Decaying Infrastructure

THE crash of two freight trains at a rail intersection in Missouri's Scott County and the derailment of a dozen rail cars caused the extensive collapse of a highway overpass, highlighting concerns over America's decaying infrastructure.

The pre-dawn crash caused one train to T-bone the other one, these in turn caused the derailed train to hit a pillar and the overpass to collapse, said Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter.

The impact of the crash between the Union Pacific locomotive and a south-bound BNSF train of 75 cars caused a diesel fuel leak which in turn ignited fire in one of the engines, Reuters reported.

Seven were hurt during the crash of which two were train workers and five occupants of automobiles on the overpass though none sustained life-threatening injuries.

The accident follows on just two weeks from a commuter train derailment in the evening rush hour which caused injury to more than 70 people. Washington state was the location of a truck hitting an Interstate Highway bridge triggering the partial collapse of the structure and sending two cars plunging into the Skagit River.

Source : HKSG.