Three train cars carrying corn fell into the canal alongside Dock Street on Friday night, and a spokesperson for CSX, the company that owns the train tracks, said the cleanup process is ongoing.

As of Monday afternoon, the remaining cars on the elevated track have been removed, and crews are working to repair the damaged track. According to the city, those repairs are expected to “continue into the night” and wrap up Tuesday morning.

A second, parallel track is currently open and servicing both passenger and freight trains, having resumed operations Sunday afternoon. 

CSX said they aim to have their crews start removing corn from the submerged cars on Tuesday, which is necessary in order to safely recover the cars.

According to Austin Staton, CSX’s media relations director, crews will use “specialized equipment, including vacuum trucks, to safely access and extract the material and help prevent it from entering the water.”

The corn removal is expected to last several days, and “will likely last through the weekend at minimum.”

While the Capital Trail is still closed from 18th Street to Pear Street, Dock Street closures are now only from 18th Street to 22nd Street. East Main Street and East Cary Street remain open as alternate routes. All parking decks and parking lots are still open. 

CSX said they will conduct an investigation into the cause of the derailment.

Contact Intern Haidyn Brockelman at hbrockelman@richmonder.org.