Wreck closes road

State News

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A train derailed near Inola Tuesday morning causing Highway 88 to be closed most of the day. The track was broken in two at the switch, pitching cars onto their sides along the highway.
Rail cars lay on their sides after the derailment near Inola. A pile of burned wheels (below) are part of the damage. Highway 88 was closed most of the day to clean up the wreck.

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January 26, 2012

The Pryor Times Thu Jan 26, 2012, 08:31 AM CST

INOLA — A southbound Union Pacific train derailed near Inola early Tuesday morning because of damage to the wheels on one of the cars.

The train was headed from Coffeyville, Kan. to Muskogee. Twelve cars carrying flour, scrap metal and coal were derailed and no hazardous material spilled.

Officials on site and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol confirm that the cause of the derailment was due to a damaged truck. The truck is the section underneath the train car that supports the wheels.

“Heat and resistance built up due to a damaged area on the truck. This heat caused a wheel to come loose from the truck,” railroad officials onsite reported.

The train drug the wheel underneath the train until hitting the switch on the track near Highway 88 outside Inola. The train derailed as a result.

Crews were called in immediately from Kansas to clean up the debris.

Highway 88 reopened Tuesday afternoon.