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yesterday

Officials See No Immediate Drinking Water Risk After Gunnison River Train Derailment

Remediation progresses at the remote Whitewater site under joint state–railroad oversight.

Railroad tracks lead directly west and east in Crowley, Colorado on March 25, 2025. Crowley's economy is rooted in agriculture, and the town is known for its friendly, tight-knit community. However, much of the farmland in the area has been dried up due to "buy and dry" practices from the 1970s and 1980s, where growing urban areas purchased water rights from rural regions. Traditionally, this water was used for irrigation and farming, but as cities acquired it to satisfy their expanding populations, the rural farms were left dry, unable to irrigate their fields. The buy and dry practices have forced many farmers out of business and brought the town to the verge of collapse. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
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Overview

  • A rockslide near Whitewater south of Grand Junction derailed a Union Pacific train late Tuesday, sending two locomotives and five coal cars into the Gunnison River.
  • Two engineers trapped in the cab were located with drones and reached by a road‑rail vehicle, and first responders rescued them without reported injuries.
  • Responders deployed booms to contain diesel reported at about 4,460 gallons, and crews are removing damaged equipment and recovering spilled coal and fuel.
  • Colorado health officials report no immediate threat to drinking water and note there are no downstream intakes, with Utah agencies notified as a precaution.
  • The FRA says the incident does not meet its criteria for a formal investigation, though Union Pacific must submit a report within 30 days, while the PUC and wildlife officials assess environmental impacts.