A train carrying at least a dozen new automobiles including Jeep Gladiators, Jeep Wranglers, Chevrolet Silverados, and GMC Sierras derailed Wednesday in Nevada, and the photos of the mangled trucks and SUVs are truly astonishing.
Thirty-three train cars derailed yesterday morning roughly 30 miles from the Nevada-Utah border near the small town of Caliente, Fox 13 News out of Salt Lake City reports.
I called Pioche, Nevada-based Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, who posted the photos you see here and in whose county the wreck occurred, but a representative said he didn’t have much information on the incident. He did mention that there were “no injuries or anything like that involved” and that this happened in the “middle of nowhere,” but directed me to Union Pacific to learn more. I’ll update this post when I hear back from the railroad company.
Until then, here’s the short press release that the sheriff’s office posted to its Facebook page:
***ROAD CLOSURE***
The county road from Elgin to Carp is completely closed until at least tomorrow (07/11/19) and then it will remain partially closed for the next 7-10 days due to the train derailment this morning. There are construction equipment, train cars, and debris blocking the roadway. UPRR is working to get the area cleaned up and the road back open as quick as they can.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office later published the following images to its page with a caption reading, in part: “Please do not travel this area unless absolutely needed while UPRR conducts clean up.”
And what a clean-up the railroad has ahead of it; just gander at all of these wrecked cars, of both the train and automotive variety:
That’s a new Jeep Gladiator on its lid, with its plastic front fender flare and its tonneau cover dangling onto the ground. Other Jeeps (either Wranglers or Gladiators) sit in the darkness of a mangled rail car behind it.
A little to the right of the previously-shown scene is another train car with Jeeps dangling out of it precariously and what looks like a train axle just sitting on the ground.
Even farther to the right is a train car with a Chevy Silverado resting its front bumper on the roof of GMC Sierra Denali missing its right front fender. Here’s a closer look:
Then there’s this image showing a train car on its side; if you look closely, you can spot a GMC Sierra and a Chevy Silverado inside:
Here they are:
The last of the photos that the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office posted shows some Jeeps in a rail car and, in front of them, a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in what appears to be decent shape aside from a missing rear fender flare. Of course, who knows what the Jeep looks like on the other side, but based on the condition of the rail car, it seems hopeful that at least some of the Jeeps and GM trucks on this train will be salvageable.
Still, these are some depressing photos, especially if you’re awaiting shipment of a new body-on-frame off-roader.