Sinkhole Near Sierra Northern Railway Train Derailment

Photo taken by: Sabrina Biehl

Sonora, CA — Sonora Police have issued a public safety alert after a sinkhole was found under the railroad tracks in the area of last week’s train derailment.

The sinkhole, shown in the picture in the image box, is on Hospital Road, on the upper portion of the roadway, under a section of railroad tracks, and near Nate’s Tree Service. The eastbound traffic lane is closed, with access only to residents until further notice, while businesses in the area are open during this closure. Sonora police ask the public to avoid the area and find an alternative route.

As earlier reported here, a Sierra Northern Railway train derailed this past Friday morning, with two empty propane cars going off the rails, hitting five vehicles, and shutting down a section of South Washington Street near the U.S. Post Office. The company cited the soaked, wet, soft ground as the cause of the derailment.

There is no word as to whether the sinkhole is connected to the derailed train. Workers at the site told Clarke Broadcasting that the track repairs would already have been completed if not for the wet weather. This week, crews have been removing soft mud along the tracks and piling it on the shoulder of Hosptial Road as they shore up the ground beneath the tracks where the derailment occurred. Regarding the impact the sinkhole could have on reopening the roadway, they noted it could take several days to repair.