Montana Rail Link crews will be working around in cleanup efforts at the site of train derailment that left four freight cars in the Clark Fork River.

The derailment occurred at approximately 4:30 am Wednesday morning and MRL Public Information Officer Lynda Frost said the cause is still unknown at this time. Originally cleanup crews were estimating the 23 derailed freight cars would be removed and tracks reopened as early as Thursday afternoon – however the remoteness of the derailment site has caused estimates to be pushed back from Thursday night to as late as Friday.

“That’s our target right now,” Frost said. “The derailment site is extremely remote and there is no way to bring equipment in except by rail.”

Wednesday afternoon MRL crews were bringing in necessary equipment to begin the process of removing the freight cars and transporting them out by rail.

The only spillage from the derailment came from freight cars carrying two-by-fours and chips. The two tank cars that are currently in the Clark Fork are empty.

No injuries were reported during the derailment and Frost estimates the cause should be determined within the “next few days.”