ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 17, 1996 TAG: 9602190048
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
Federal investigators concluded Friday that Wednesday night's derailment of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train in St. Paul, Minn., was not the result of sabotage. The FBI said, ``If those findings are borne out, we will soon terminate our involvement in the case.''
The FBI is investigating the possibility of sabotage in another Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train derailment - the fatal crash Feb. 1 north of San Bernardino, Calif.
Both trains apparently lost braking power before they derailed, and investigators focused on the possibility that control levers on the cars had been moved so they could have crippled the brakes.
In the St. Paul derailment, which injured nine people, gouges on the lever that apparently moved have convinced investigators that the movement was caused by the impact of the crash, according to sources close to the investigation.
In the California crash, which killed two of the crew members and injured the third, investigators have not ruled out sabotage.
LENGTH: Short : 30 linesby CNB