Train Derailment near Mineola

MINEOLA — More than twenty train cars left the track Wednesday morning during a derailment about seven miles east of Mineola. Union Pacific Railroad officials said that no one was injured and no hazardous materials were spilled. Twenty three cars were on the ground after the incident, which occurred between 3:30 and 4:00am on the portion of track running along County Road 2790. Ronnie Burgess of Union Pacific’s mechanical department said the cause of the derailment had not been determined. “Until we start getting the pieces picked up we really don’t know what we’ve got,” Burgess said. He said the cars, which began derailing from the fourth car after the engine, included sand hoppers, empty tankers and carloads of paper. “Nothing hazardous” was in any of the cars, Burgess said.