(May 6, 2026 – Rifle, Colorado)
A collision between a tanker truck and a passenger Canyon Spirit train resulted in the spillage of about 6,000 gallons of oil and a lengthy highway shutdown as passengers narrowly avoided injury. The accident occurred Tuesday morning at approximately 9:40 a.m. near Rifle, CO, along Highway 9.
The identity of the semi-tanker driver has not been released. According to responders, the tanker truck was struck by the Canyon Spirit train and split into three pieces, spilling the oil it had been transporting. Subsequently, six passenger cars and two locomotives derailed. The tanker driver was transported to a local hospital with injuries, and it was reported that no passengers required immediate medical transportation to a hospital.
Federal Railroad Administration records for the crossing where the collision occurred indicate that it is a private at-grade crossing. It sees an average of 7 day and night trains, which travel at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. The crossing is equipped with two stop signs but has no forms of active warning devices, including gates, flashing lights, and bells. Vegetation parallel to the tracks obstructs drivers’ sight lines and may complicate motorists’ ability to timely observe and yield for trains, which is particularly relevant at a passive crossing. Additionally, with its short approach and location adjacent to a highway, the crossing poses a particular risk to lengthy vehicles, a factor which the responding police suspect may have played a role in the collision and derailment.
Trooper Hunter Mathews of the Colorado State Patrol stated, “It’s not directly clear what’s caused it. However, I know at that area, trying to get into the intersection, say if a car is coming or something like that, specifically a semi-truck is going to be sticking into the railroad.”
Investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing.