By Chris Collins

ccollins@bakercityherald.com

Twenty-seven cars of a Union Pacific Railroad train derailed early Sunday morning, disrupting rail traffic for about 18 hours.

The derailment happened at 3:15 a.m. Sunday near Durkee, said UPRR spokesman Mark Davis of Omaha, Neb. Twenty-six of the cars were empty and one was carrying anhydrous ammonia, which remained contained in the car, Davis said.

“There were no leaks on the car and no injuries,” he said.

UPRR crews of about 100 people worked around the clock to replace about 30 railroad ties on one of the tracks, which was reopened at 9 p.m. Sunday. They worked through the night and into Monday repairing the second mainline track, Davis said.

They replaced 1,400 feet of track damaged in the derailment. The second line was opened at 6 p.m. Monday.

The cause remains under investigation today, Davis said. The train, which included five locomotives and 140 rail cars, was traveling from Hinkle to Pocatello, Idaho, Davis said. An estimate of the damage was not available.