BONNERS FERRY — While a plan is still being developed to remove a BNSF Railway locomotive in the Kootenai River, a second locomotive derailed by a landslide last week should be re-railed early next week, railroad officials said.

Gus Melonas, director of public affairs for BNSF Railway for the region, said equipment is being positioned to bring the locomotive on the river bank back on track Monday. The locomotive would then be moved to Crossport for further mechanical inspection and repair before being sent to a major shop location for necessary overhaul.

A plan is still being developed, in coordination with the appropriate agencies, for the locomotive in the river, Melonas said.

“We’re working with agencies to ensure overall safety environmental protection,” he said. “It appears that the plan at this point is to move the locomotive that’s in the water to the north shore, so across the water from the railroad tracks. It would be disposed of at that location.”

“We’re still developing a plan at this point, which could include scrapping it.”

A timeline on the train’s removal is still being developed, Melonas said.

“For overall safety and environmental protection, a final timeline on its removal has not been determined,” he added.

BNSF was able to open the track on Saturday and trains are running. Recent snow has not impacted crew’s progress to re-rail the locomotives, he said.

Melonas said about 1,900 gallons of diesel were in the submerged locomotive. Crews are assessing what remains in the locomotive and a plan is being developed for its removal. Booms have been installed downriver of the accident site and Melonas said the railroad is working closely with the various agencies to protect the environment and taking the necessary steps to work through the process.

Crews have been working around the clock since a New Year’s Day landslide derailed a BNSF Railway train and sent the lead locomotive and its crew into the Kootenai River. In total, three locomotives were knocked off the track with one ending up in the river, another on the river bank and a third that ended up in the right of way. Another six cars were also derailed by the landslide, which was reported about 8:45 p.m. on Jan. 1.

Of the six cars that derailed, Melonas said five were empty and the sixth contained a steel product. That car was unloaded and then re-railed. The train, which measured over a mile in length, had 115 cars — 74 of which were empty and 41 which contained freight.

Geo-technicians were dispatched to the site and determined the rockslide was 50 feet wide with a debris field 10 feet deep. It is unclear what caused the slide, BNSF officials said.

The mile-long BNSF Railway train was en route from Minneapolis, Minn., to Pasco, Wash., when it was derailed by the rockslide. Various personnel responded within minutes of the derailment.

The two-person crew ­— a conductor and an engineer from the Spokane/North Idaho area — were not injured when the lead locomotive plunged into the Kootenai River, where they were rescued by Boundary County Sheriff’s Marine 1 jetboat just before 11 p.m. Jan. 1.

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.