Three trains derailed across North Dakota after derecho and deadly tornado in Enderlin
A powerful derecho swept through North Dakota on Friday, June 20, 2025, spawning multiple tornadoes, killing at least three people in Enderlin, and derailing three trains across the state.
At least three trains were derailed as a powerful derecho swept through North Dakota on June 20 and 21, 2025.
The first derailment occurred near Enderlin when a tornado killed three people and derailed a Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) train. A second incident involved a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) empty coal train near Steele, where 43 cars were derailed due to high winds. The third derailment took place near Mayville in Traill County during the early morning hours of June 21, as strong winds associated with the storm system blew several empty grain cars off the tracks.
A derailment on the CPKC line near Enderlin was directly associated with an EF-3 tornado, with estimated winds exceeding 161 km/h (100 mph), according to the National Weather Service. Enderlin is a crew change point for CPKC.
The BNSF empty coal train derailment near Steele affected 43 railcars. According to BNSF and local reports, the train was likely traveling from Superior, Wisconsin, to Spring Creek Mine, Montana.
In Traill County, a BNSF train derailed near Mayville shortly before 05:00 local time (LT) on June 21. According to BNSF spokesperson Kendall Sloan, strong winds blew several empty grain cars onto their sides. No injuries were reported in these incidents.
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A derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms. To be classified as a derecho, the storm system must produce a swath of wind damage extending more than 400 km (about 250 miles), with wind gusts often exceeding 93 km/h (58 mph).
Derechos are typically characterized by damaging straight-line winds, rather than tornadoes, and can cause significant destruction over large areas in a short period.
The term comes from the Spanish word for “straight,” a reference to the storm’s long, direct path of damaging winds.
Feature image credit: Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby
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