23 cars of Burlington Northern freight train derail north of Las Cruces

RADIUM SPRINGS, New Mexico -- A locomotive and 23 cars of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train derailed Thursday in an isolated area about 18 miles north of Las Cruces.

The derailment site in Radium Springs was not near any homes and railroad crews said the area's rugged terrain limited access to the scene.

No one was injured in the incident, said BNSF spokesman Joe Sloan. The train appeared to be carrying mostly grain, while Sloan said there were no hazardous materials.

What caused the train to go off the tracks was still undetermined and Sloan said the derailed cars would have to be up-righted and removed before the tracks could be inspected and repaired.

He could not provide an estimate as to how long it might take to complete the investigation and make repairs.

The Federal Railroad Administration said it was notified of the crash, but a federal spokesman indicated the National Transportation Safety Board had no plans to respond the scene.