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Railroad Bridge Collapses In Iowa

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Jun 25, 2008 9:11 am US/Central

Railroad Bridge Collapses In Iowa

COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (AP) ― A railroad bridge collapsed into the flooded Iowa River, dropping a locomotive and its engineer into the water, the Louisa County sheriff's office said Wednesday.

The engineer was taken to a hospital for treatment of unknown injuries, the office said.

The sheriff's office said it received a call late Tuesday from the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad saying the bridge had collapsed near Columbus Junction in southeastern Iowa.

Railroad spokesman Steve Kulm said Wednesday he did not know if the flooding was a factor in the collapse.

Kulm said the locomotive was pulling four tanker cars off the bridge when the span occurred. The tanker cars were loaded with water and had been parked on the bridge to give it added weight during the flooding, he said.

Sheriff's office dispatcher Kenny Marlette said no one else was on the locomotive.

Representatives of the Federal Railroad Administration are en route to investigate.

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