Coal Cars Overboard

Photo by James M. Thresher / Washington Post

In other fossil fuel news, a CSX train derailed while crossing the Anacostia River. Several coal fell off the bridge and dumped their contents into the river. Part of the span collapsed. Investigators are trying to determine whether the collapse caused the derailment or the derailment caused the collapse. The bridge had a poor safety record and had been shut down awaiting repair. The bridge's structural problems are hampering efforts to clean up the wreckage.

There are more photos of the incident on Flickr.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the bridge visible from Anacostia Park, a little below Kingman Island. I am not sure why the superstructure would look different in the two photographs.