KEENESBURG, Colo. — Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr derailed Monday night after striking a truck at a grade crossing northeast of Denver, KDVR-TV reports.
Amtrak said that “no serious customer injuries” occurred in the collision and derailment that occurred about 10 p.m. east of Keenesburg, according to the Colorado State Patrol, although an exact number was not available. One injured crew member was taken to an area hospital.
KUSA-TV reports 69 passengers were on board the train at the time of the incident. Images on the websites of the two stations show multiple cars of the train derailed but still upright.
Keenesburg is about 40 miles northeast of Denver. Amtrak Alerts advisories say the train involved was to terminate in Denver, while the westbound Zephyr that departed Chicago on Monday was to terminate in Lincoln, Neb., early this morning, and will return from there as eastbound train No. 6 that would have originated in California on the 28th.
The westbound Zephyr departure from Chicago scheduled for today (Jan. 30) has also been cancelled; that train will instead originate in Denver. Cancelled entirely are the westbound train of Feb. 4 and eastbound train of Feb. 7.
— Updated at 8:35 a.m. CT with plans for upcoming trains; updated at 9:05 a.m. with information on injury to crew member.
I was on train#6 when it wrecked. Engine 816 was on it left side with wreck damage to right side. Crew beat windshield out with sledgehammer to free one engineer. Firemen used jaws of life inside cab to free other engineer. It was a long night
Local TV news outlets here in Denver say one crewman was seriously injured, taken to hospital by helicopter. Maybe he was in the overturned engine?
First of all this is the “down” time for travel between Christmas and March when spring breaks begin. Amtrak has always cut consist this time of year. But there’s probably nothing left to cut. And let’s not forget that those are not 69 passengers going to Chicago. The numbers rise or fall at station stops. SO the actual number of passengers this train handles will be much higher. I agree that those who cause grade crossing collisions should be liable for all damages AND expenses incurred by the railroads due to the actions of the drivers.
Tractor trailer hung up on the crossing? I bet good money there were signs warning trucks of the possibility of hanging up or no trucks signs. At Kings Mountain, NC, trucks were repeatedly hanging up on the tracks in spite of all the signage warning trucks of the hazard and no trucks signs and signs directing trucks to a safe to use crossing. The city eventually put up barricades making it impossible for tractor trailers to turn onto the crossings. Can’t fix stupid but eventually it eliminates itself.
The information I saw said it was a dump truck. Any verification> Sure messed up that P42 that was laying on its side like a beached whale…
In the country classic “City of New Orleans” the lyrics sing of 15 cars and 15 restless riders. So the California Zephyr is doing a lot better with the passenger count than the City of New Orleans LOL. Here in Orlando, most LYNX bus lines have an even worst head count of passengers riding the bus even most buses operating either empty or half empty. Still it is a very serious and sad commentary of how rail travel is in dire straits and no small wonder how Amtrak even gropes along or survivng as it is. A train carrying only 69 passengers is not going to last forever. Just like a retail store be it a supermarket or department store that would only have 69 customers in it wouldn’t be around for long either. Regarding the never ending epidemic of thse senseless grade crossing accidents especially the recent ones that Brightline has beeen experiencing here in Florida; Until law enforecement really starts cracking down on these daredevil idiotic drivers and hands out some hefty fines and heavy jail sentences to run for a few months or years as well as make the offenders pay for all damages and the cleanup , these accidents and incidents will continue to happen and increase. It is not possible or feasible to build underpasses or overpasses or even elevate railroad tracks and eliminate every grade crossing in this country. Education and awarness around grade crossings is good but what is needed is stiffer penalities, harsher jail sentences and for all offenders who cause these collisions to be made to pay for all cleanup and replacement of equipment and signs and roadwork. Passengers and crew aboard trains that are affected or seriously injured by the actions of these “throttle jockeys” and daredevil drivers should be able to sue these drivers for their actions and make them pay up. Enough is enough One final observation regarding passenger head count and this involves a flight that I was on last spring. I was on a Southwest connecting flight from Dallas to Orlando and there was only 25 of us passengers on the plane Plenty of empty seats and room. So there are times when this is the exception rather than the norm but in the case of Amtrak LD trains this is an alarming trend.
Joseph C. Markfelder
How many sleeper passengers? Might have been enough to pay for operating costs? When is the last time anyone has seen any advertising anywhere between San Francisco and CHI for the CZ?
Do not forget the high IQ required of ….
Sixty-nine passengers? OMG. Sixty-nine passengers wouldn’t fill any of the several daily flights from Denver to Milwaukee. Let alone Denver to Omaha, Denver to Chicago, etc.
Amtrak LDs are supposed to load heavier out of the metro areas then thin out across the rural areas. Sixty-nine leaving Denver is pathetic. Count my wife and I as not among the sixty-nine. We fly to Denver – Milwaukee on UAL first class for quite a bit less than an Amtrak sleeper to Chicago then a coach seat on the Hiawatha. To say nothing of our time, trouble, selection of departure schedules, etc.
69 caught my eye as well. I noticed they didn’t mention crew numbers. If its more than 5 its more than a plane. Or maybe the crew was in the 69 count which makes it worse.
Depends on the consist. The way AMTRAK has been shorting the long distance trains, 69 might be a decent count.
Not sure why the eastbound was scheduled to terminate in Denver but that could be why the passenger load was low, no through passengers to stations east of Denver. Westbound was to turn at Lincoln so something has to going on in Eastern Colorado or western Nebraska.
Charles – This is likely one of the lowest travel demand times of the year. The Delta 737-900 I was on last week (capacity 189 pax) had a whopping 30 people on it.
What in the hell is the matter with these idiot truckers? Can’t wait what? 90 seconds for an 80mph train to go by? Come on.
The driver most in need of Operation Lifesaver was several years ago in the suburban area west of Detroit. He actually pulled around and passed a couple of cars stopped at a crossing. This was shown in a surveillance video from a nearby factory. He was hit by Amtrak.