Article: Weight, repairs blamed for Ala. train derailment

A train hauling pieces of space shuttle rockets derailed last year because of inadequate repairs to a railroad bridge and the enormous weight of the load, according to a federal investigation released Wednesday.

The Federal Railroad Administration didn't find any safety violations or issue any fines despite the weight and repair.

Six people were hurt when an M&B Railroad freight train loaded with shuttle booster segments caused part of a 652-foot-long wooden span to collapse May 2, 2007, near Myrtlewood in rural west Alabama.

The train was the first commercial load to cross the bridge after more than a day of repairs. The span had been closed when a worker noticed ...

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