COLORADO STATE PATROL LEADING 'CANYON SPIRIT' TRAIN WRECK INVESTIGATION

UPDATE

The state patrol is leading the investigation into the collision of a Canyon Spirit passenger train and a tanker truck carrying hot asphalt tar in western Colorado.

None of the 300 people aboard the scenic excursion were seriously injured when the locomotive plowed into the truck along Highway 6 between Rifle and Silt on Wednesday, authorities said.

"The driver of the tanker truck sustained minor to moderate injuries and was transported by ambulance for medical evaluation," Lief Sackett, chief of Colorado River Fire Resue said. "No additional patients required transport."

The wreck disrupted Amtrak and freight traffic between Denver and Grand Junction while workers cleared and repaired the tracks. The state patrol said six passenger cars and two locomotives derailed. The crash site is in Garfield County.

Passengers were transported to their destinations by bus. The Canyon Sprit line runs between Denver, Glenwood Springs, Moab and Salt Lake City.

[Photos: Castle River Fire]