Late Tuesday night, during the Western Slope’s first major snowstorm of the season, a loaded Union Pacific coal train derailed along the Gunnison River north of Whitewater. The two lead locomotives struck a large boulder that had fallen onto the tracks, tipping the engines onto their sides and partially into the river within the Dominguez–Escalante National Conservation Area. Two engineers were trapped inside the overturned cab.
Grand Junction Fire Department Public Information Officer Dirk Clingman said crews were paged out shortly after 11 p.m., though early details were sparse. Grand Junction Fire initially responded with an ambulance crew to support Mesa County Fire Authority, but additional resources were deployed as the situation became clearer. The rescue ultimately involved Grand Junction Fire, the Sheriff’s Office, Mesa County Search and Rescue, and the Fire Authority.
Reaching the site was one of the biggest challenges. With no road access and heavy snow, firefighters staged roughly five miles away and relied on a Union Pacific truck outfitted to drive on the rails to travel down the tracks in the dark. The ride took about 15 to 20 minutes, and crews had to bring all necessary gear with them because returning for equipment meant another long trip.
Once at the scene, responders found the locomotives on their side in shallow, frigid water. Clingman said the engineers had been knocked around and were wet, but the main concern was hypothermia rather than drowning. Using specialized rescue tools, crews cut open the pinned door of the cab and helped the engineers climb out. Both were transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction.
In addition to the rescue, Grand Junction Fire responded as a hazmat agency, deploying absorbent booms to help contain diesel fuel leaking from the locomotives. Longer-term cleanup and remediation along the river is being handled by Union Pacific and its contractors. According to reporting in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Union Pacific’s hazmat and mechanical teams are working with state officials to remove railcars, recover spilled coal and fuel, and restore the site. Mesa County Search and Rescue, a volunteer group, relies on donations.
