Train derailed by wind gusts north of Cheyenne

CHEYENNE (WNE) — After wildfires south of Cheyenne were fueled by 70 to 80 mph winds last Wednesday, a large Burlington Northern Santa Fe train was blown off the tracks the next night.

Around 17 miles northwest of town, some locals reported being woken up by the sound of the train derailing around 4 a.m. Friday. While the cause was originally uncertain, though most assumed it was the wind, the Federal Railroad Administration confirmed Tuesday there will be no investigation into the incident because it was due to natural causes.

“It’s not uncommon to see high winds cause a derailment,” FRA deputy director of public affairs Warren Flatau told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. “That happens annually, probably several times a year. The scale, I’m not sure, because I don’t know how many cars in total went off, but it looked like a significant number.”

Nearby residents have reported on social media that upward of 100 cars may have left the tracks. The train cars were carrying double-stacked shipping containers, which was likely why the high winds pushed the train cars over.

Laramie County Sheriff ’s Office and Laramie County Fire Authority reported they did not receive any calls for service to the area.

Flatau said BNSF will have to report the incident to FRA because it met the monetary damage threshold of $12,600, and estimated it will be around three months before FRA receives any report from BNSF.

BNSF did not respond to WTE’s request for comment before publication.

The derailment comes a week after the Wyoming HighwayPatrol reported that nearly 40 vehicles were toppled while driving on Wyoming interstates over the course of only three days.

This story was published on Dec. 24. 2025.