German freight train derailed by cash machine on track

A freight train carrying hazardous materials including gas was derailed in Germany in the early hours of today after hitting a cash machine thrown onto the tracks by criminals. No-one was injured in the incident, which happened near Dinslaken in the North Rhine-Westphalia region.

SBB Cargo International is thought to have been operating the service, and while the towing locomotive sustained significant damage, there was no reported spillage from any of the attached nine cars. The train was travelling between the cities of Duisburg and Wesel when the incident happened around 2.30am.

Lifted

Cash from the machine, which is believed to have been ripped from a wall at the station in Dinslaken, was left strewn all over the tracks, reports local newspaper Derwesten. The freight train had been lifted out of the rails during the collision, according to a spokesman for the federal police. Police said that recovery of the train was likely to take several hours, potentially affecting many domestic and international freight services.