2 freight trains collide in Tacoma yard; 1 injury

Two slow-moving freight trains collided Monday night in a switching yard, injuring one engineer, derailing a locomotive and damaging some containers, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman said.

About 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from a BNSF locomotive, but no waterway was affected and cleanup crews have responded, spokesman Gus Melonas said.

The BNSF locomotive was routinely switching rail cars from one track to another in the railway's switching yard near the Tacoma Dome at 7:45 p.m. when that engine and its 12 freight cars collided with the side of a departing Union Pacific train, Melonas said.

The Union Pacific freight train transporting containers was en route from Tacoma to Portland, Ore. It was hit about 10 cars back from its locomotive, damaging the side of some containers, Melonas said.

The trains were moving at roughly 5 mph, he said, adding the cargo contained no hazardous materials.

One crew member on the BNSF locomotive was taken to a hospital for evaluation Monday evening.

The impact left the BNSF locomotive derailed and tilted at an angle; its first two cars were leaning but remained on the track.

Main freight and passenger rail lines through the area were not affected. The cause of the accident was under investigation.