Conductor Dies After Fall From Royal Gorge Train
CANON CITY, Colo. (AP/CBS4) - The Royal Gorge train is closed while investigators look into the death of a train conductor along the scenic route.
Leslie Cacy, 28, fell from a moving car Saturday night near Canon City.
"Cacy was a conductor of the train and while the train was on the way back to the train station, about 4 miles from the station, Cacy was at the rear of the train, as it was backing up to the station, standing in the door opening when she fell off the rear of the train and was ran over," Sgt. Megan Richards with the Fremont County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
The Royal Gorge is about 10 miles long, with the Arkansas River running through it and the railroad running along its banks. Its granite walls soar over 1,000 feet. The gorge has one of the nation's highest suspension bridges connecting both sides of the gorge, where thousands of tourists a year walk across and look over the edge, trying to spot rafters who take on some of the toughest whitewater routes in the country.
The train was transported from the bottom of Royal Gorge canyon for examination.
An autopsy is planned and Fremont County authorities are investigating.
The railroad issued a statement on its Facebook page on Sunday saying the company will not be running the train for the next few days, and anyone with reservations will get refunds or they can reschedule.
Cacy's husband has been notified. Investigator Randy Keller says the husband is very upset and asked that people "keep him in their thoughts and prayers."
There were about 200 passengers on board the train at the time of the death.
A canglelight vigil was held Sunday night.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified.
The Royal Gorge bridge and park remain open, officials said.
Royal Gorge Railroad Statement
"We are absolutely devastated by the loss of our team member who died yesterday in an accident on the train. We have been working around the clock with authorities to figure out exactly what happened. Right now, our focus is on helping the Fremont County Sheriff's office do its job, and taking care of our team. We will not be running the train for the next few days, and anyone with reservations will be refunded or may reschedule. We are a family run business, and our team members are like family to us. Our hearts are broken. We will share more information as soon as we have it."
LINK: Leslie Padilla Cacy's Memorial Fund
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