Montana Rail Link moves Boeing plane parts past derailment site to Reed Point

Montana – Following the train disaster and bridge collapse near Reed Point, Boeing is making sure that the parts for its airplanes are transported via Montana to its plants near Seattle.

Starting on Friday, truck drivers transported the fuselages six miles along Interstate 90 to Reed Point.

Fuselages and rail cars were lifted from the trucks by crane operators before being put back onto wheels on the tracks.

“The method of transferring these materials from rail to truck and then back to rail was identified as a safe, efficient option based on the location of the service disruption,” said Andy Garland, Montana Rail Link director of communications.

The factories that will use the components are in Washington’s Puget Sound region.

“Production and deliveries continue and we don’t expect that this issue will change our full-year guidance,” Jim Proulx, Boeing spokesman, said in a written statement.

According to Proulx, Boeing sells roughly 300 737s a year.

According to Montana Rail Link, this is the company’s largest endeavor to assist consumers affected by the incident.

“We’re looking for alternative transportation solutions or maybe alternative transportation routes for some of our online customers,” said Joe Racicot, Montana Rail Link president. “But this is the first kind of major operation specific to one customer.”

Every month, Boeing makes a number of these deliveries, and they will keep using the detour until the bridge is fixed.