REDD POINT - Progress continues at the site of the bridge collapse and train derailment near Reed Point that happened on Saturday.
That derailment sent 10 cars tumbling into the Yellowstone River and five of those have been safely removed.
Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., had a chance to look at that damage and those clean-up efforts on Thursday.
Some of the irrigation ditches had to be shut off so some of the farmers may not be able to water their crops.
Also, they've had reports of some of tar the downstream including about six miles downstream at the Holmgren Fishing Access.
A man walking his dog, saw some tar just outside of the river.
"Saw some black stuff," said Alex, who is from Columbus. "I didn't even think much of it and then I started seeing some bigger chunks of it. Just kind of like molten tar."
Upstream about six miles, the Unified Command gave Rosendale an update and showed him the damage.
"We're here today to make sure we understand exactly what's going on and to offer ourselves up as a service and not to be anything to get in the way," Rosendale said.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) say the tests have come back with no detection of petroleum or increased levels of sulfur and crews are monitoring the tar downstream from the bridge.
"River operations going to scout that out to see one how much is on the shores," said Chief Rich Cowger, Columbus Fire Resuce. "Kind of where it's going, what we need to do protect irrigation systems."
"Ditches remain closed at this point," said Commissioner Tyrel Hamilton, R-Stillwater County. "Working with DEQ. Fortunately for us, it's been very wet here."
Joe Racicot, Montana Rail Link president, says crews had to cut tangled steel from the bridge and were hoping to remove a sixth car on Thursday.
He says workers will have to take the asphalt out of three of the four remaining cars before moving them.
"We'll start injecting steam into those cars," Racicot said. "We'll trans-load all three of those and we'll come up with a plan to get those off the bridge. We can't just pull them off. Obviously the track structure underneath, bridge timbers are compromised. So if you start to pull those cars, there's a risk. Either the span goes down or a car goes down. We'd like to avoid that if at all possible."
The Congressman sent a letter to the Department of Transportation and the EPA and says he likes what he's hearing about repairs that will help supply chains and commerce in Montana,
"When we could expect the line to be opened again, they're anticipating that to happen in the course of weeks, not months," Rosendale said. "And that is very, very encouraging for me."
