Runaway train cars hit locomotive and derail, spilling beer in downtown Denver rail yard

By The Associated Press

DENVER – A string of runaway rail cars spilled beer in downtown Denver Wednesday after they crashed into a parked locomotive and derailed.

No one was hurt, and the railroad’s mainline operations were not affected, said Steve Forsberg, a spokesman for BNSF Railway, based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Forsberg said a switch engine was assembling a train around 4:30 a.m. when the crew lost control of the 34 cars, which rolled downhill into the stationary locomotive.

A tanker car carrying Coors beer overturned and spilled its contents onto the rail yard, Forsberg said. Another car carrying asphalt was damaged and leaked.

Forsberg did not know how much beer and asphalt spilled.

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Two parked locomotives were heavily damaged, and several freight cars were damaged.