Collision with avalanche field derails train near Girdwood

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — No one was injured when an Alaska Railroad train derailed Tuesday near Girdwood after running into an avalanche field.

Three crew members were aboard the freight train when it hit the snow field just before 2 a.m., railroad spokesperson Christy Terry told KTUU. The train had just left Whittier and was headed north.

It’s not known when the avalanche covered the tracks. The collision sent the first two cars off the track and a third car was also partially derailed.

The railroad said it is assessing clearing the tracks of snow, an effort that would begin Wednesday.

Girdwood Fire and Rescue said on Facebook that drivers on the Seward Highway should expect delays in the area Tuesday as the state transportation department undertakes avalanche mitigation efforts.