SACO — A single-car train derailed late Friday morning as it crossed Industrial Park Road while heading onto an unplowed section of track to make a lumber delivery to a nearby company.

The Pan Am Railways locomotive slipped off the track shortly before 10:55 a.m., leaving the engine and its single car blocking traffic at the railroad crossing on Industrial Park Road for about 4½ hours.

No one was injured in the derailment, and no vehicles were damaged.

The train came to a stop with piles of snow beneath it. Pan Am Railways workers could be seen in the early afternoon digging out the snow with hand shovels.

The company used a second engine to remove the derailed train from the crossing at about 3:20 p.m., in time for the afternoon rush hour.

But the first engine remained skewed off the track.

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The train was on its way to make a routine delivery to the Boise Cascade facility at 68 Industrial Park Road when it derailed on the slippery crossing, according to Cynthia Scarano, executive vice president of Pan Am Railways.

“We go up the industrial track two to three times per week,” Scarano said. “Ice can be an issue depending on how the tracks are plowed, but weather does not often contribute to derailments.”

Traffic entering and exiting the Maine Turnpike was diverted from Industrial Park Road to Main Street by Saco police.

Scarano said it is not out of the ordinary for the train to travel the snowy track without a plow on front.

Scott Dolan can be reached at 791-6304 or at:

scottddolan@pressherald.com

Twitter: @scottddolan


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