Rail Car Makes 16-Mile Run on Its Own

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — BNSF Railway officials say a single flatbed car got away from a bridge crew working about 40 miles southeast of Great Falls and traveled 11 miles down the tracks and five miles back before being stopped by a rail crane.

BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas (mel-OWN'-us) says the car, carrying supplies for the bridge work, rolled away at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. He says the railroad immediately closed the line.

The train car traveled 11 miles until it hit an incline and started rolling back. Melonas says the car traveled almost halfway back to where it started before it hit a rail crane positioned on the tracks.

Melonas estimates the car was traveling less than 5 mph when it hit the crane about 15 minutes after it rolled away.