Massive Train Derailment Occurs 17 Miles Northwest Of Cheyenne

[riversedge]

Source: cowboystatedaily.com


A BNSF train carrying dozens of double-stacked freight cars derailed early Friday morning northwest of Cheyenne. Although no cause has been given, residents blame the wind. "This is the worst wind we've ever seen, and it’s been blowing for days now."


Andrew Rossi & Jimmy Orr December 19, 20256 min read


After several days of hurricane-force winds, including a 144-mph blast in western Wyoming, double-stacked freight cars fell off railroad tracks near Federal, Wyoming, about 17 miles northwest of Cheyenne, one of the state’s windiest corridors.

Neighbors said they believe dozens of train shipping containers toppled off the tracks sometime between 10 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday.

Linda Brandtberg Pette, who lives near the unincorporated community in Laramie County, saw the aftermath of the derailment from her home, only a quarter of a mile away from her house. ......................


"150 Cars, Minimum"

Scott Lacy, who lives right next to the train tracks near the windy outpost had just got done surveying the damage Friday, driving on a dirt road parallel to the tracks..............................................


Read more: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/12/19/freight-cars-topple-off-tracks-after-wyomings-fierce-windstorm/

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Train derailment near the former town of Federal, Wyoming, on Friday, December 19, 2025 (Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily)

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[highplainsdem]

1. "...nothing can stop the wind on the prairie..." It isn't unusual for 70-80 mph crosswinds

to blow semis over, so I'm not surprised a train of double-stacked freight cars was toppled.

[electric_blue68]

4. Wow. Never thought of that.

Last edited Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Corrected...
I never had heard of that!
It's something I wouldn't have thought of.

Do the semis have to be carrying lighter loads for that to happen?

[2naSalit]

23. Typically...

Trucks with high volume trailers with 'light' loads are susceptible to being blown over by the wind. I have had some pretty scary events on the interstate up in that area. When it gets bad up on the continental divide many trucks get off the interstate and use US30 that follows the rail route, a little less windy. With the way those boxes were stacked on the train, not surprised in that kind of wind.

I can attest that I have personally had a few cold sweat moments in the area of this wreck. One time I had a load of potato chips and the wind was so strong it was lifting the front end of the trailed up so intensely that it was almost picking the drive axles up with it! Another time I almost got blown over, it was scary trying to find a place where I could get out of the wind, an impossible task out there... had I known how bad it was going to be, I would have shut down for the day, both times.

Hell, even over here in northern New England last night it was rally windy, warnings are still in effect through tomorrow, I awoke to not only no internet service available, I didn't even have cell service on my phone! It was out for around 18 hours, just came back a little while ago. The wind is a powerful thing.

[electric_blue68]

24. Woah...didn't know you were/are a trucker! TY for hauling goods around!

My underline

"One time I had a load of potato chips, and the wind was so strong"

This would be kind of funny if not for the scary reality!
But sure potato chips compared to way more heavy cargo, makes sense unfortunately!
I was thinking reading the original post about lighter loads affecting the train.

Wow, and net, pure cellphone service out!
Glad it's back! Be safe!

[riversedge]

3. Winds are absolutely ROCKING here in Boulder #COwx

Winds are absolutely ROCKING here in Boulder #COwx

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[electric_blue68]

5. Scary! Stay safe!

[COL Mustard]

6. Early estimates of property damage ran as high as $35.

That's some desolate terrain. They should plant some trees or something!

[Vinca]

7. That's astonishing. I've never seen such a thing. Wonder what they were carrying.

[Wonder Why]

12. Post holes.

[Old Crank]

8. Between Cheyenne and Fort Collins the winds are bad

A friend lived in one or the other and he said there was always a risk for tractor trailers to land on their sides during high winds. The bigger the sail the more force is generated.

[RazorbackExpat]

10. I tried to ride a bicycle once from Ft. Collins to Cheyenne

The wind was so strong, I barely made 6 miles out of Ft. Collins before I gave up.

[RazorbackExpat]

9. Yikes

[KY_EnviroGuy]

11. In Wyoming, they have what are called "wind days".....

where for many people, it's dangerous to go outside and a lot of outdoor work is suspended, although I don't recall what authority makes those declarations.

I worked many field service jobs there at refineries and trona plants there, and all high work is suspended on wind days. I remember not being able to keep my hard hat on at ground level in Casper.....

Wyoming is the only state I recall traveling to that has railroad-style swing gates for shutting down interstates during high-wind storms.

[Wonder Why]

13. Okay, what idiot put the penny on the track?

[littlemissmartypants]

20. Are we sure it wasn't a presidential coin? (ETTD)

[Wonder Why]

22. It would have destroyed the engines!

[jgmiller]

14. All of the containers were empty

so this was pretty stupid to run them in high winds empty. There's not enough weight on the cars to resist incredibly high winds.

[riversedge]

15. Caught on camera: Watch as a semi flips over from strong winds along I-25 in Wyoming.

I hope the people inside of the trucks are ok.

Caught on camera: Watch as a semi flips over from strong winds along I-25 in Wyoming.

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[electric_blue68]

21. Woah!

[niyad]

16. There have been high wind alerts all week for the area. Rather scary.

[turbinetree]

17. The average wind in the high desert and in Wyoming is 25 miles per hour every day..............

[Rocknation]

18. The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on land...

Last edited Sat Dec 20, 2025, 08:01 PM - Edit history (1)

by winds strong enough to make the train look like a child's toy.

Rocknation

[FakeNoose]

19. So this is why the long-haul truck drivers are all losing their jobs?