UPDATE: Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr has released a statement on the deadly train crash in western Laramie County Thursday evening that claimed one life and has left another person missing.

This was a significant and tragic event. We are a community of railroaders and tonight our community has experienced loss. And if you pray, please pray. said Orr.

Responding agencies included Cheyenne Fire Rescue, F.E. Warren, Laramie County Sherriffs Office, American Medical Response (AMR), Laramie County Fire District No. 1, Laramie County Fire District No. 2, Laramie County Fire District No. 10, Cheyenne/Laramie County Health Department, and Wyoming Highway Patrol.

As of 5:30 a.m. Friday, the search for a Union Pacific employee reported missing in the crash was continuing. Officials have so far not released the names of any of the people involved

UPDATE: According to Lt. Don Hollingshead of the Laramie County Sheriff's Department, the derailment was reported around 7:45 p.m. and involved two westbound Union Pacific trains, one of which is believed to have rear-ended the other. The crash occurred about 18 miles west of Cheyenne.

Hollingshead says four UP employees were in the crash, one of whom is reported to have been killed. One other person is missing and the other two were not as seriously injured. The person who died and the missing person are believed to have been in the engine of the train which struck the other from behind. No evacuations have been ordered. The cargo on the trains was reportedly "mixed."

In addition to the sheriff's office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Union Pacific officials and other emergency responders are on the scene

Original Story: Details are still sketchy, but according to a spokesman for the Laramie County Sheriff's Department, at least one person has been killed in a derailment of a Union Pacific train in western Laramie County on Thursday evening.

That's according to Lt. Don Hollingshead with the Sheriff's Department.

The derailment is believed to have happened near Harriman Road. Townsquare Media's Joy Greenwald is headed to the accident scene. Attempts to contact Union Pacific officials this evening have so far been unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the Wyoming Department of Transportation says the Warren Interchange truck parking lot exit between Cheyenne and Buford is closed due to the derailment.

We will report further details as they become available.

The Krink wrote:

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 It had a crew aboard 70 miles back where the train
stopped and crew walked back to check on a potential bad/order situation with a car/carriage. Must have forgot something
like the "emergency brake" as the 268 car loaded ore train is on its way downhill runaway for 70 miles. I think every single
car derailed. Be pretty hard to top this disaster in car count for sure.

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I wonder if they have BR&CF in Australia? 

"The only legal way to get a brake test is to release the brakes."
->But, if we release the brakes, we'll be off and away.<-
"If you don't release the brakes, it will be a decertifiable rule violation."
->I'll tie the train down, then.<-
"I need you to get that train moving...."

Uke wrote:

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Kinda out of the territory ain't it?

Providing Job Income Protection for U.S. and Canadian Railroaders Since 1912

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 True, perhaps Australia has some of their own "fire" insurance.

Someone followed-up the massive BHP iron ore derailment saying it was a crew of "one". Yes one hoghead taking 268 loads of iron ore
downhill to port. That hoghead...I wonder what the pay is for a "trip on your own" on a regular day. If I was doing it would be atleast $5K
a trip/run/day. Actually I don't know what "fair pay" would be for running a 268 loaded iron ore train downhill/grade for the length of trip
by yourself.

...so how are ya gonna brake test one of these loooooong, longer, no the longest trains ever? These fuckin' things are so long, that ya gotta have DPUs in there somewhere. Maybe cut in a third of the way in, from the lead unit(s). The railroads of course has a ready explanation for this is 'increasing productivity' and efficiency. All for shareholders of course. Elimination of train crews of course! That's probably reason number one!

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/canadian_national/article/Class-I-railroads-continue-the-longer-train-trend--55035

To run long monstrous trains you have to have a lot of mostly double track. Or at least some 12-15Kft sidings in single
track CTC. Otherwise "forget about it". In WA not the best for running monsters unless it would be between Seattle and
Portland on the joint double track. Think it was Saturday on the BNSF airwaves the Seattle East Dispr talking about a
9000FT Z9 coming down the hill. That's 2000ft more than normal and not sure why. BNSF been real cautious about doing
much changes to the existing tons/feet per train over Stevens Pass that has worked for 50-60yrs.