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16h ago

Union Pacific Train Derails Into Gunnison River After Rockslide Near Grand Junction

Federal regulators declined a formal probe, requiring a Union Pacific report within 30 days.

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)

Overview

  • The coal train struck a rockslide near Whitewater around 11 p.m. Tuesday, sending five cars and two locomotives into the Gunnison River.
  • Two crew members were freed from the cab by Grand Junction and Mesa County responders and reported no injuries.
  • Diesel leaked from the locomotives, and Suncor provided additional absorbent booms as containment efforts began, officials said.
  • Difficult access near Highway 141 prompted the Mesa County Sheriff's Office to use drones to locate the wreckage.
  • Union Pacific said it is conducting its own investigation and will handle cleanup operations.