The Region - News from Aug. 12, 1987

Derailment of a mile-long freight train across a busy intersection under the Santa Ana Freeway in the City of Commerce was caused by someone throwing the switch under the moving train, officials said. About 20 cars of the Southern Pacific freight train spilled off the tracks, causing about $200,000 in damages to rail cars and tracks, Southern Pacific spokesman John Tierney said. “An unknown person, not an employee, threw the switch as the train went by, causing the derailment,” he said. “It’s lucky no one was hurt and we really hope to find who it was.” Workers replaced about 400 feet of track and uprighted the 20 spilled cars.