Several cars derailed as a Union Pacific train delivered sand to a customer Tuesday morning in Odessa, with seven cars flipping to their side and three others derailing but remaining upright, a Union Pacific spokesman confirmed later Tuesday.
Spokesman Jeff DeGraff said around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday that crews were expected to finish clearing the area between 8 and 10 p.m. later Tuesday.
The derailment occurred near Faudree Road and Business Interstate 20.
DeGraff said the derailment occurred on a side track, so the main line was not block and regular traffic flow was maintained through the area.
“It’s a siding track leading to a customer, so the train was pulling off of the main line, and onto a side track to serve a customer, and that’s where the derailment occurred,” DeGraff said.
“It occurred in the area of the switch,” he added. “We’re looking at that as a possible point of derailment, but until we can get all of the cars cleared out of the way, we won’t be able to pinpoint anything.”
