UPDATE (1:45 PM): Yates County Sheriff's Office has released more information about this morning's train derailment.

Upon arrival of multiple fire and rescue crews, it was found that a train engine belonging to Finger Lakes Railway, had struck a train derailment apparatus that was placed on purpose on the rail line, as crews were working on a grade crossing on the line. The derailer device had been placed on the track to protect crews working in the area. 

Finger Lakes Railway President Mike Smith tells WENY News the derailment device was placed on the wrong rail inadvertently, and an internal review of practices will be conducted. 

The derailment caused the train engine (with no cars) to overturn onto its side on the east side of the tracks. The operator of the train was identified as Thomas R. Lewis and was brought to a hospital for a possible arm injury. 

The New York State DEC was brought in for a small fuel spill, due to the overturned train. Fuel was pumped out of the engine and mitigation efforts are underway for fuel that spilled onto the soil.


HIMROD, NY (WENY) -- A Finger Lakes Railway train has derailed in Yates County.

The derailment included only a single engine, and happened in Himrod, New York Monday morning. According to the Finger Lakes Daily News, the engineer on board was taken to Soldiers and Sailors Hospital in Penn Yan. Emergency and environmental cleanup crews are on scene. 

WENY News has contacted Finger Lakes Railway in Geneva for more information. The company operates a short-line railroad with over 167 miles of track in Upstate New York, including a line that runs between Watkins Glen and Penn Yan, and a shared line with Norfolk Southern that runs between Watkins Glen and Geneva.

This is a developing story - more information with be added once confirmed.