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Residents say collapse of train trestle is no big surprise

By Noah Chavez

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    CORVALLIS, Oregon (KEZI) — After a train trestle in Corvallis’ Pioneer Park collapsed under the weight of a passing train, sending debris and rail cars into Marys River, neighbors are saying it was only a matter of time before something like this happened.

On Sunday, work crews were preparing to get the rail cars out of the water with a crane. Residents living near the derailment were still shocked to have witnessed it firsthand. Axel Hanson and his son Gunner said they were outside playing catch when they both heard and saw the bridge collapse into the water.

“We heard the train coming through and we heard a crack and then… boom, it happened quick,” Axel said.

“I was starting to catch the ball and I just saw water went in the air and I saw the train went boom,” Gunner said.

Apart from the crews working on the rail line, a hazardous materials team was out setting up containment booms on the river. KEZI 9 News reached out to NWFF Environmental to ask how long clean-up will take, and they said they did not yet have an estimate.

Folks living near the collapsed bridge have had to deal with strangers coming to gawk at the wreck. Terry Spiers’ backyard directly faces the collapsed bridge and has a rail car only a few feet away from her home. Spiers said she had to chase people off of her property because they would go into her backyard without permission.

“Since yesterday and today I’ve had more people coming through here. You can see where they pulled the fence there,” Spiers said. “They should have the decency to come to the door or something first. Don’t just come through here.”

Nosy visitors aside, the homes next to the train derailment have not been told to evacuate but have been told that their soil may not be stable. Neighbors feel that if their soil is not stable, the bridge that collapsed was not either. The bridge had been burned in a fire a few years ago, which charred the south side of the support structure. Axel said when he walked over it recently, he didn’t feel it was safe for a car, let alone a freight train.

“Couple nights ago, me and my son were walking out there because there’s nothing out there, but part of it was burned from a few years ago. It was really rickety,” Axel said. “I’m surprised they tried to bring that much weight across, it’s pretty bad.”

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