(The following report by Scott Orr appeared on the CW News2 website on December 11.)
DENVER — An RTD light rail passenger train hit a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train Tuesday morning near the Santa Fe and Mineral station.
No injuries were reported among the approximately 50 passengers on board the light rail train, which derailed about 6am when it ran into BNSFcoal hopper cars that had previously derailed themselves and were blocking the tracks
Littleton Police diverted traffic at the intersection near the train station, causing a traffic snarl during a rush hour already slowed by snow and slush. Sante Fe Blvd. was closed from C-470 to Aspen Grove.
And RTD spokesperson said buses were being pressed into service to take passengers away from the scene.
Jonathan Ashford, a passenger, said their train came to a sudden stop, causing standees to fall into seats around them. Once the train stopped, “we looked out the window and noticed a coal car on its side and that there was coal spilled on the ground. Once we got out, we saw what looked like about 15 coal cars off the tracks,” Ashford said.
Ashford said the train’s operator told him he saw the wrecked BNSF train as he rounded a turn, but couldn’t stop in time. “The brakes squealed, we slammed into the coal car, then our train came off the tracks to the left,” he said.
“When you look at the size of the pile of coal and steel this little light rail car hit, it is really amazing we got away without serious injury,” he observed.
Two of the light rail cars left the tracks.
He also reported seeing what he called “damage” to the towers which hold the train’s power lines above the tracks.