A company hired to scrap locomotives for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. has been fined $50,000 for a large spill of diesel fuel, U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren announced Monday.

Erman Corporation Inc. has pleaded guilty in federal court in Kansas City, Kan., to violating the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

In its plea, the recycler admitted that its employees used fuel siphoned from one of the locomotive engines to operate a crane starting in September 2002. In November 2002, a large amount of fuel flowed into Shunganunga Creek after employees failed to remove the siphon hose from the engine.

Besides the fine, Erman has paid more than $72,000 in restitution to the railroad for cleaning the creek and more than $9,000 to the city of Topeka for police and fire department involvement.