FERGUSON, MISSOURI — Residents in Ferguson were jolted by a loud crash Sunday night when a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed near the 600 block of Ferguson Avenue, sending approximately 20 rail cars off the tracks and damaging a railroad bridge.
The derailment happened at approximately 7:07 p.m. near Paul Avenue.
The train was traveling westbound and was carrying a mixture of auto carriers, boxcars and gondola cars.
Some of the cars were carrying GMC trucks and SUVs.
No injuries were reported.
However, the derailment caused significant damage in the surrounding neighborhood, including power outages, damaged railroad infrastructure, debris and road closures.
Residents heard a massive crash
People living near the tracks described hearing something very different from the normal sound of a passing freight train.
Ferguson resident Jacqueline Nelson told the St. Louis American that her house shook when she heard the crash.
Her reaction was immediate:
“Oh, no. Not again.”
Nelson had experienced another train derailment in the same neighborhood nearly six years earlier.
That 2020 derailment reportedly damaged her backyard and bedroom.
Another nearby resident, Frank Simmons, described the sound of the 2026 derailment as being so loud that it seemed as though the train was coming through his house.
He reported flickering lights followed by a loud boom and then saw the derailed train outside.
The derailment also damaged the area surrounding the tracks, including the railroad embankment.
Officials initially treated the scene as a potential hazardous-material emergency because of the number of derailed rail cars.
A hazardous-materials team responded and inspected the train.
Officials determined that the derailed cars did not create a hazardous-material threat to the community.
Officials said there was no immediate threat to residents.
No evacuation or shelter-in-place order was issued.
The derailment also affected the electrical system in the neighborhood.
Power outages were reported along the area stretching from West Florissant Avenue and Ferguson Avenue toward South Florissant Road.
Ameren crews responded
to restore service.
At one point, hundreds of customers were affected.
The combination of damaged rail cars, debris, electrical issues and the damaged bridge created significant problems for residents and motorists.
Ferguson Avenue was closed around the derailment site as emergency crews and Norfolk Southern workers began removing the damaged rail cars.
The railroad cars were eventually moved to a nearby lot where they could remain while crews dismantled them.
By September 28, the main railroad line had returned to service, meaning trains were again moving through the area.
However, the cleanup is still underway.
Ferguson Avenue remains closed between Elizabeth Avenue and Centre Avenue while railroad crews worked on the damaged embankment.
City officials said the embankment needed stabilization because vegetation and other material had been stripped away during the derailment.
With trains now moving through the area again, residents say they want to know what caused the derailment and what will be done to prevent another one.
Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle acknowledged that the city and railroad would need to have further discussions about the situation.
For now, the immediate emergency has passed.
The derailed cars have been removed from the tracks.
The main rail line is operating again.
Most surrounding roads have reopened, and power restoration efforts were underway shortly after the derailment.
Norfolk Southern’s investigation remains ongoing.
