Idahoan Foods and Union Pacific find 'amicable solution' for 2009 derailment

A federal judge dismissed a dispute Friday between Union Pacific and Idahoan Foods over a 2009 derailment the railroad claimed was caused by dehydrated mashed potato product.

A motion filed earlier Friday by the companies' attorneys in U.S. District Court in Omaha requested the dismissal but did not give an explanation. Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis declined to comment on whether a settlement was reached. Idahoan Foods' attorney Justin High called it an "amicable resolution."

The Omaha-based railroad sued Idahoan Foods LLC in October, claiming the company's workers caused a February 2009 derailment at its North Platte rail yard by neglecting to clean dehydrated mashed potato product off of the wheels of some freight cars.