Minnesota train derailment cleanup and noise continue

Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
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Cleanup efforts continue at CP derailment site at Plymouth, Minn.
City of Plymouth, Minn., via Twitter

On Monday, RT&S reported on a Canadian Pacific derailment northwest of downtown Minneapolis, Minn., near the suburb of Plymouth. The city of Plymouth provided an update on its website and social media yesterday about the status of the cleanup.

The City of Plymouth has received questions from residents about train horns, road closures and the expected timeline for cleanup of the Canadian Pacific train derailment site, near Northwest Boulevard/Pineview Lane, north of Schmidt Lake Road in Plymouth.

Due to the size and scope of the derailed train cars and equipment at the site, cleanup is expected to extend into the summer and cause ongoing disruption and noise for surrounding neighbors.

Pineview Lane Closure, Construction Activity

For the safety of all, Pineview Lane will remain closed north and south of the tracks, as CP crews are operating heavy machinery to clean up the site. Residents who live in the area will have access to their homes, but the road will remain closed to through traffic near the tracks.

CP crews will begin constructing a temporary road that extends from Pineview Lane along the north side of the tracks to the derailment site beginning Wednesday, March 10. The temporary road provides for removal of the derailed train cars, while allowing CP to safely utilize the rebuilt tracks and continue normal operations.

City of Plymouth Engineering staff is closely monitoring the scene and working with CP to help facilitate safe traffic control measures and road construction activities in the area.

Once the derailed train cars are removed from the site, CP will deconstruct the temporary road and perform site restoration – including repaving affected streets and working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to restore the wetland areas near the tracks.

Air Quality, Water and Soil Safety

CP crews are monitoring air, water and soil quality at the site 24/7 to ensure safe operations under the guidance of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This includes:

  • More than four stationary air quality monitoring stations posted between the derailment site, a nearby church and neighboring homes
  • Two contractors walking the site 24/7 to monitor air quality
  • Crews checking each car twice daily and monitoring all values to ensure nothing has changed and no leaks have been detected
  • Ongoing soil and water testing

Contents of the train cars, including the cars carrying molten sulfur, have cooled and solidified and no leaks have been discovered. In the event that there are any issues, the public will be notified immediately.

Noise from Construction and Train Horns

Residents should expect to continue hearing a significant amount of noise from construction activities and frequent train horn sounds throughout the spring and summer.

For the safety of all crews working to clean up the derailment site, train engineers are required to frequently sound the train horns when entering the area on the rebuilt tracks. While Plymouth is deemed a “quiet zone” under normal operations – this situation is not normal.

Under federal law, the City of Plymouth has no authority to regulate Canadian Pacific.

Thank You, More Information

The City of Plymouth and CP thank residents for their ongoing patience this spring and summer.

Additional updates, including a traffic map for the affected area, will be posted on the website and/or city social media platforms as they become available.

Residents with questions about CP activities may email [email protected]. For questions or concerns about traffic management near the site, call Plymouth Public Works Director Michael Thompson at 763-509-5501.

View the original post/update from March 7-8, 2021.

See Monday’s RT&S report on the Minnesota derailment.

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