With damaged tank cars still lying near to the tracks in Mosier, the site of Friday's fiery oil train derailment, Union Pacific said Monday it would temporarily suspend moving oil trains through the Columbia River Gorge.

"We do not intend to run crude oil unit trains and will inform the community of when we intend to resume operations," said Justin Jacobs, a Union Pacific spokesman.

The company's announcement came just minutes after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici called for a temporary moratorium, saying it was too soon to allow more oil trains through.

"A train full of toxic crude oil derailing, burning, and exploding near homes, schools, and businesses is a worst fear realized for people who live in Mosier and in other communities along the tracks throughout the Gorge," the lawmakers said in a joint statement. "They deserve to know that the causes of this derailment have been both identified and fixed, and there should be a moratorium on oil train traffic until they get those explanations and assurances."

The lawmakers said they would be pushing the federal Department of Transportation to "take a hard look at alternative routes for oil and hazardous material trains that would put fewer Oregonians at risk of a dangerous crash in their backyards."

It's unclear whether the railroad has canceled movement of any scheduled oil trains as a result. Union Pacific has reported hauling three oil trains a month through the Columbia River Gorge.

The company's announcement leaves open the possibility that crude oil will continue moving in what are called mixed-manifest trains - those that haul a few tank cars of oil interspersed with other commodities. A "unit train" of oil, the wording the railroad used in describing the shipments it was temporarily halting, carries only crude. Those trains can move more than 3 million gallons of oil apiece and stretch longer than a mile.

The group of Democratic lawmakers moved swiftly to call for the moratorium after Mosier leaders passed a resolution Sunday night calling for a delay in Union Pacific's plan to reopen the rail line through the city to any traffic - not just oil trains.

Trains began moving anyway, just more than 48 hours after the wreck.

Mosier Mayor Arlene Burns said she was thrilled the governor and Oregon's federal leaders had listened to the city's plea. But she said city leaders believe it's irresponsible for Union Pacific to move any train next to damaged oil tank cars.

Some Mosier residents remain under a level two evacuation order, she said, meaning they need to be ready to leave their homes at a moment's notice. How can the area be safe for train traffic, she asked, if it's not for residents?

"We feel it's still unsafe for trains of any kind to come through the area when these oil bombs are sitting on our front steps," Burns said.

Burns said the damaged tank cars appear to be dripping oil. "A spark from the train could catch that on fire again," she said. "It still is way too soon to be taking trains through."

-- Rob Davis

rdavis@oregonian.com

503.294.7657