Federal Investigation into Colorado Train Derailment Focuses on BNSF Railway's Inspection and Maintenance Practices
Federal investigators probe whether poor maintenance practices contributed to a coal train derailment on a BNSF Railway line that resulted in a bridge collapse, killing a truck driver; meanwhile, dispute over ownership and responsibility for the collapsed bridge persists between the railway company and the state of Colorado.
- The train derailment and bridge collapse resulted in the death of truck driver Lafollette Henderson, 60, closing the main north-south highway through Colorado for four days as crews cleared the wreckage and hundreds of tons of coal.
- The BNSF train was travelling below the speed limit for the area when the accident occurred on October 15, 2023; a broken rail, a common cause of train derailments, led to the derailment of 30 cars from the train.
- BNSF Railway had conducted track infrastructure examination and visual inspections of the rail line in the area, including an inspection on the day of the accident, but questions remain about any reported defects or deficiencies in its inspection and maintenance processes.
- Federal investigation into a previous rail accident involving BNSF in Montana also identified poor track conditions as a contributing factor.
- The ownership and responsibility for the collapsed bridge remain disputed between BNSF Railway and the state of Colorado, based on historical agreements from the late 1950s and 60s, though the railway company has agreed to replace the structure and cover the costs.
Washington Post 
Associated Press 
