Colorado State Patrol Investigates Crash Between Train and Tanker Truck in Garfield County
Officials said only minor injuries were reported as emergency crews worked to clear oil from the highway and reopen the route.
- On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, a Canyon Spirit passenger train collided with a tanker truck near Rifle, Colorado, at a railroad crossing on Highway 6, shutting down the road in both directions.
- The tanker truck was reportedly on the tracks when the collision occurred; the Colorado State Patrol said the impact split the tanker open, spilling about 6,000 gallons of road oil.
- Six passenger cars of the Canyon Spirit train and two locomotives derailed in the crash, forcing emergency crews to evacuate passengers using local buses; no passengers or crew members reported injuries.
- The Colorado Department of Transportation closed a two-mile stretch of Highway 6 between Mile Pond Road and Peterson Lane, warning that an "extended period of time" is likely for repairs.
- Responders transported the tanker truck driver to a hospital with minor injuries, while the rail line remains closed for an extended period as cleanup and repairs continue.
16 Articles
16 Articles
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Passenger train derails after crash involving tanker truck, closing Highway 6 in Rifle
Highway 6 in Rifle is closed in both directions near Mile Pond Road after a crash involving a train and a tanker truck, according to a Facebook post from the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency crews are on scene and working the incident. Only minor injuries have been reported at this time, according to the sheriff’s office. Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Shannon Stowe said the train was full of passengers at…
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