Cold blamed in Wisconsin coal train derailment

Authorities are investigating the derailment of about 19 cars on a Union Pacific coal train in the southeastern Wisconsin city of Caledonia.

Wisconsin Commissioner of Railroads Jeff Plale, who went to the scene, says it happened around 6 a.m. Sunday. He tells the Racine Journal-Times the northbound train hit some rails that were cracked by the recent brutally cold weather.

The 135-car coal train was headed from Wyoming to a power plant on Sheboygan on busy tracks that are used only for freight trains.

Plale says no one was injured and none of the material is considered hazardous. But the derailment left behind a significant mess that needs to be cleared. He says the twisted metal doesn't look good, but it's not considered a major incident.