NTSB Investigating Derailment in Pueblo West, Colorado

The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an ongoing investigation into a BNSF railway derailment that occurred on October 15, 2023 at around 3:24 p.m.

Courtesy of BNSF

PUEBLO WEST, Colo. – The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an ongoing investigation into a BNSF railway derailment that occurred on October 15, 2023 at around 3:24 p.m.

The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an ongoing investigation into a BNSF railway derailment that occurred on October 15, 2023 at around 3:24 p.m. Located at milepost 109.654 in Pueblo West, Colorado in the Pikes Peak Subdivision, derailed cars struck a railroad bridge and six cars dropped to the interstate below. According to the NTSB, “one or more [cars struck] a northbound truck-tractor in combination with a utility trailer (combination vehicle).” Part of the span of the bridge collapsed over the northbound lanes on the interstate. The driver of the truck was killed, but no one in the train crew was harmed. The NTSB also stated that the weather was clear with no precipitation.

Earlier that day, train CNAMCRD0-31D left Denver at 9:41 a.m. headed toward La Junta, Colorado. There were two locomotives at the head end, 124 hopper cars with coal, and 3 distributed power units. There was also an engineer and a conductor on board. At the time of the accident, the train was travelling at 32 mph. Investigators for NTSB have conducted interviews; “reviewed data from locomotive event recorders, forward-facing image recorders, and radio logs; inspected locomotives and railcars; tested and downloaded data from positive train control and signal systems; examined track near the derailment site; reviewed BNSF track maintenance and welding procedures; and recovered a section of rail for analysis at the NTSB Materials Laboratory.”

As the investigation is ongoing, NTSB has stated that more “investigative activity” will be conducted on BNSF’s track maintenance and inspection procedures. In addition, the investigation will include the FRA, BNSF, The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, The Brotherhood of Railway Carmen division of the Transportation Communications Union/IAM, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers.