Cargo train locomotive derails in Colorado, spilling 100s of gallons of diesel

LOVELAND, Colo. — The locomotive of a cargo train derailed in northern Colorado early Wednesday, spilling hundreds of gallons of diesel, authorities said.

The Great Western Railway locomotive did not tip over when it went off the rails at a switch in the tracks just before 1 a.m. but a fuel tank was punctured, the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority said in a Facebook post. The spill was contained and did not get into any waterways, it said.

No one was injured in the derailment, which happened near a sugar factory in an area not far from some homes, Battalion Chief Kevin Hessler said. The other locomotive and three cars carrying sugar did not derail, he said.

A natural berm helped contain the spilled fuel, which was pumped up by a hazardous materials contractor, according to Julie Slagle, a spokesperson for Great Western's parent company, OmniTrax. The railway will inspect the tracks before resuming operations, she said.

On Jan. 30, an Amtrak train derailed after it crashed into a truck carrying milk at a northeastern Colorado rail crossing, badly injuring the engineer and sending three passengers to a hospital, authorities said.