A train headed east through downtown Valparaiso derailed Saturday night after the train’s crew observed someone lying on the tracks and engaged the emergency brakes, according to a spokesman for Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad.
Intersections throughout downtown remained closed early Sunday afternoon, though Tom Ciuba, the railroad’s spokesman, expected the area to be clear by Sunday evening.
Four empty auto racks were derailed, according to an email from Ciuba. “There were no injuries, and no hazardous material was involved,” he said.
Valparaiso Police received notice about the derailment around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to Capt. Joe Hall, the department’s public information officer.
The derailment occurred three hours after the 46th annual Popcorn Festival wrapped up in downtown Valparaiso, an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the community.
Hall confirmed Sunday afternoon that the crossings were still blocked and said there was no time frame for when they would reopen, but said via text that it “could be extensive.”
A maintenance crew was still at the scene of the incident conducting repairs early Sunday afternoon, Ciuba said in the email, and the railroad expects the line to resume normal operations by Monday.
It’s not immediately clear how many rail cars there were on the train. Workers on the scene at Monroe and Napoleon streets told the Post-Tribune they were contractors and declined to comment.
The impacted railroad crossings, according to a Saturday night Facebook post by the police department, were Greenwich Street, Axe Avenue, Franklin Street, Washington Street, Lafayette Street and Napoleon Street.
Ciuba said he anticipated the area being fully cleared by 6 p.m. Sunday.
The derailment remains under investigation.
alavalley@chicagotribune.com