It’s a sight hundreds in the community wanted to see.
People pulled out their phones and even binoculars to capture a glimpse of derailed train cars that fell into water.
“Well it’s very scary that it happened,” Hope Smith, a Huntingdon County resident said. “I guess anything can happen, but it is shocking that something like this can happen so close to our home.”
Hope brought her kids over to see the accident after school. Her son Lane loves trains. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“I saw it and my mind exploded,” Lane Smith told us. “I never saw a real train crash with my own eyes.”
The parking lot at the local teener league field was filled all day Tuesday. There was a constant crowd, curious about the big event taking place in their own backyard.
“It is kind of scary because we walk underneath that bridge to go fishing,” Stephanie McCarty explained. “We have been under there several times. It’s just kind of crazy to see something like that happen around here.”
The sight left many in shock. As cleanup continues, they’re just happy to know everyone is okay.
“Now it’s just interesting to watch how they’re going to clean it up and how we’re going to go about business here because trains run through here all the time,” Hope said.
Five cars derailed around 8:15 a.m. Tuesday morning. They were hauling food, pulpboard and plastic.
There is another set of tracks allowing rail traffic to continue.
Norfolk Southern is still investigating the cause of the derailment. The cleanup may take weeks.