(The following story by Bill Scanlon appeared on the Rocky Mountain News website on March 27.)
DENVER, Colo. — Freight and passenger trains are running again on the Union Pacific railroad tracks through Gore Canyon, after a rock slide Wednesday halted traffic for about five hours.
There was no damage to any trains or passengers.
“We got a report of rocks on the track in Kremmling” at 1 in the afternoon on Wednesday, Union Pacific spokesman James Barnes said today.
An electronic warning system alerts railroad officials to rock slides in mountainous areas.
“We sent out a crew of about a half dozen to investigate.”
Crew members used an explosive called Boulder Buster to blast the rocks that were too heavy to move, then cleared the rocks from the track.
“They did some minor track repairs, and the service on the line was restored” a little after 6 in the evening Wednesday.
“We have some additional minor work to do on the side of the track, but the main line isn’t blocked,” Barnes said. “At this time of the year, with the thaw-freeze cycle, sometimes rocks will fall.
“There was a lot of snow this year,” which likely helped loosen some rocks, Barnes added.