Crews cleaning up after coal train derails near speedway

By Brian Nordli

Published Monday, Dec. 9, 2013 | 4:07 p.m.

Updated Monday, Dec. 9, 2013 | 4:14 p.m.

A 103-car Union Pacific coal train derailed Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas while en route from Utah to California.

The accident occurred at about 12:45 p.m. near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway when one of the train’s four locomotives derailed, causing 19 other rail cars filled with coal to also derail, Union Pacific officials said. No one was injured in the incident, and the cause for the derailment is under investigation.

Union Pacific crews have worked throughout the morning and will work overnight to place the rail cars either on the rail or away from the track, officials said. Crews are also working to repair the railroad.

The tracks were expected to reopen at about 4 a.m., officials said.