USA - Storm blows rail cars off tracks

[John Ashworth]

Storm blows rail cars off tracks in Greene Co.

Updated: June 18, 2009 08:11 PM
www.wthr.com

Worthington - A thunderstorm moving across southern Indiana blew 12 empty railroad cars off the tracks.

The cars were knocked over Thursday morning from the Indiana Southern Rail Road Co. line along Indiana 67 near the Greene County town of Worthington, about 25 miles west of Bloomington.

Railroad assistant general manager Chris Burgess says the cars were stationary when they were hit by strong winds.

"The cars were all empty, they were storage cars that had been there for quite some time," he said. Burgess said a contractor will be called and the cars will be lifted.

A tornado siren was activated in Worthington but no tornadoes or injuries have been reported.

The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of 50 mph at Terre Haute and received numerous reports of downed trees and scattered road flooding in southwestern Indiana.

(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.)