Railroad Investigators Searching For Cause Of Train Derailment In Stephens County

Railroad investigators are looking into what caused a train to derail over the weekend in Stephens County.

Related: 'It Was So Loud': Marlow Residents Describe Moments When Train Derailed

Marlow Fire Chief Jason Miller said it could’ve been worse if it weren't for what is known as an active crossing.

"We could have had somebody that was parked 5 foot off that track when that thing started to derail, and we could have had a totally different outcome here. But because of those active crossings and because of those safety features that are built into those, that's definitely a great thing," Miller said.

Union Pacific released the following statement to News 9 about the investigation:

Once we complete the preliminary investigation, we will file a report with the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA will then release the final report on their website. It could take several months.

Oklahoma spends about $8 million a year on upgrading railroad crossings, according to the most recent rail plan.

That's about six to 15 crossings a year.

Miller said he is thankful Marlow is one of the towns that made the shortlist for upgrades in recent years.