(The following article by Ryan Graff was posted on the Glenwood Springs Post Independent website on February 18.)
GLENWOOD CANYON, Colo. — Crews working to clean up a 45-car coal train derailment had only 15 cars left to remove from the canyon on Tuesday.
Union Pacific Railroad and private contractor Hulcher Services Inc. brought in 100 workers Monday to clean up the derailed train, said Union Pacific spokesman John Bromley.
Crews continued work on Tuesday.
Union Pacific does not have a time line for when the track will reopen, said Bromley.
Once the track is cleared, crews will work on replacing the sections of damaged track, but frozen ground is slowing the work, said Bromley.
Union Pacific’s priority is to get the track open, said Bromley. Once the track is open, crews will go back and pick up the spilled coal.
The coal is not environmentally hazardous, said Bromley and is not “presenting an imminent threat.”
The wreck has shut down rail traffic on the line from Denver to Salt Lake City, and freight and passenger trains are being rerouted through Wyoming.