MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — A train derailed on Tuesday afternoon in Aurora County just west of White Lake, with cleanup expected to last for weeks.
The Aurora County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that the accident happened along Highway 16 between Kimball and White Lake. They warn anyone driving through the area to expect to see large equipment on-site while the affected train cars are cleared. No hazardous materials have been mentioned being on board the Burlington Northern Santa Fe train in official press releases.
Tuesday’s derailment is just one in a string of incidents that have happened along that stretch of the Ringneck and Western Railroad in recent years. The RWRR is for freight trains only. They typically are carrying commodities such as grain, fertilizer, or paper products. Watco, which owns the line, was given a federal grant for over $10 million in 2024 to be administered by the South Dakota Department of Transportation.
The project involved installing over 31,000 railroad ties, 17,000 tons of ballast rock, replacing culverts and bridges, and resurfacing 44 miles of track on the former Mitchell to Rapid City Railroad Line.