Prototype News

Canyon Spirit, the luxury tour train in Colorado and Utah, derailed on May 6 after striking a tanker truck carrying hot asphalt near Rifle, Colo. 

More than 300 people were on the train at the time of the collision. No passengers or crew members were injured, but the truck driver sustained “minor to moderate” injuries. The passengers were taken off the train and bused to their final destination of Moab, Utah.

Images of the derailment show that the lead unit suffered damage to the front end and that both locomotives and a handful of passenger cars were off the rails. The derailment occurred on single track and was impacting both freight and passenger service. It was unclear when the route would reopen. 

—Justin Franz 

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Connecticut’s Naugatuck Railroad has painted its U23B into a semiquincentennial livery inspired by the Delaware & Hudson’s bicentennial units.

U23B 2798 was built for Conrail in June 1977 and is notable for being the last Universal Series locomotive General Electric ever built. The engine was later sold to the Providence & Worcester and renumbered 2203. It was acquired by the Naugatuck in 2003 and retained its Providence & Worcester number until this spring.

Naugatuck employees drew inspiration from the D&H, which painted a U23B and RS-3m into a similar scheme in the mid-1970s. While the D&H versions had three stars under the cab, the Naugatuck chose to place five to represent Connecticut as the fifth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. The engine also pays homage to the railroad’s late shop cat, Turbo, who died earlier this year. Turbo’s outline is on the long hood, along with the words “Spirit of Turbo.”

The engine is expected to enter regular service on May 7. The Naugatuck Railroad is a common-carrier short line owned by the nonprofit Railroad Museum of New England that provides freight and excursion service. 

—Railfan & Railroad Staff

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