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Janesville Today
By the People, for the People
Crews Work to Remove Derailed Train Cars After Flooding in Janesville
Significant flooding in the Wisconsin city led to a train derailment, adding to the cleanup efforts.
Apr. 19, 2026 at 12:21am
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The train derailment in Janesville is a sobering reminder of the powerful forces of nature that have overwhelmed the community in the wake of severe flooding.Janesville TodayCrews in Janesville, Wisconsin, are working to remove three Union Pacific train cars that derailed on Friday night due to a washout caused by significant flooding in the area. One train employee was injured and taken to the hospital, and the timeline for removing the derailed cars is unclear as they need to be crane-lifted back to street level.
Why it matters
The train derailment is an additional challenge for the city as it continues cleanup efforts following the severe flooding. The incident serves as a reminder of the powerful impact the storm had on the community and the scale of the recovery process.
The details
The three train cars carrying corn and grains derailed just before 8:30 p.m. on Friday, with one car becoming completely submerged underwater. City officials stated that the derailment occurred due to a washout caused by the heavy rainfall. One Union Pacific employee had to be rescued from the train car and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
- The train derailment occurred around 8:25 p.m. CDT on Friday, April 18, 2026.
- Cleanup and removal of the derailed train cars is ongoing as of Saturday, April 19, 2026.
The players
Union Pacific
The railroad company that owns the train that derailed in Janesville.
Kevin Lahner
The Janesville City Manager, who provided updates on the derailment and cleanup efforts.
Michelle Rose-Barajas
A Janesville resident who was watching the removal process of the derailed train cars.
Jim Kelly
A Janesville resident who was surprised by the train derailment given the severe flooding in the area.
What they’re saying
“We don't know exactly how long. The situation is, the three locomotives do have to be crane lifted out of there and brought back to street level.”
— Kevin Lahner, Janesville City Manager
“It's just overwhelming seeing it all and realizing the amount of cleanup that's ahead. The train derailment is just a block down the road from here, so yeah, it's surprising.”
— Michelle Rose-Barajas, Janesville Resident
“I was a little shocked by that. But when you get that much rain in that little time, I guess anything can happen.”
— Jim Kelly, Janesville Resident
What’s next
Union Pacific has stated the incident is under investigation, and officials will continue to work on removing the derailed train cars from the flooded area.
The takeaway
The train derailment in Janesville is an additional challenge for the community as it grapples with the aftermath of the severe flooding, highlighting the scale of the recovery efforts needed. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the powerful impact the storm had on the region.
