Seven cars removed after train derailment, oil spill; cleanup and railroad repair to follow

As of Sunday, crews have removed at least seven of the derailed cars that leaked crude oil into the flooding Rock River on Friday.

BNSF railroad spokesman Andy Williams said oil has been removed from 10 cars and at least seven have been moved to a nearby field. Thirty-two cars derailed Friday, 14 of which leaked oil. 

When asked about the timeline for the complete removal, cleanup and repair, Williams said to look at the process in phases, the first and current one being removing cars and most of the oil and fixing the railroad. Williams believes the track will be functioning by Tuesday. 

"The actual (operation) could take a while because of the footprint," Williams said, speaking about the oil that could not be contained. "There's possibilities of it being 5 miles down." 

Cities downstream from the spill are monitoring their water systems. David Bryan, a spokesman for the EPA, said a complete assessment of the environmental impact cannot be made until floodwaters have receded.

From there, cars that weren't compromised can be removed from the area on the train track. Those that were compromised will be disassembled and shipped out. 

Once all the cars are moved to the nearby field, Williams said a berm will be built around them to prevent the leaking oil from spreading. 

Officials say 230,000 gallons spilled. Roughly 100,000 gallons has been contained with booms in a low-lying area filled with floodwaters near the derailment.

Williams said the site is a "beehive of activity" with about 200 workers there throughout the day. Williams said rain forecast for Sunday and Monday will not slow down the operation unless there is lightening.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.