FERRYVILLE, Wis. – The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad contracted 12 trucking companies to haul debris from its massive train wreck Thursday. The debris, expected to total 1.5 million pounds, will be shipped 35 miles upriver on Highway 35 to LaCrosse, the nearest landfill with sufficient capacity. The La Crosse landfill brought in extra teams for waste processing. At the derailment, hazmat crews segregated paint, lithium batteries and other hazardous material. Cars carrying food products and other material was also being sorted and processed for disposal. The compromised cargo totaled 12,500 tons, the railroad said. Shippers have been advised not to expect their scheduled deliveries.
Overtime at landfill. Railroad to be billed for debris processing at the Berlin Drive landfill. Image: LaCrosse County Solid Waste Department