There are events in the automotive universe that can cause a little bit of nausea. News of a rail derailment that took place late last week in Lincoln County, Nevada probably fits in that category. The train was pulling cars containing brand-new Jeep Gladiators and Wranglers, as well as Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks.
The extremely good news is that there were no reported injuries as a result of the accident – except perhaps for the heartbreak felt by new owners of the destroyed vehicles, who will have to wait a while longer to get their new rides delivered.
The Lincoln Sheriff’s Office, which released these photos of the damage caused by the derailment, did not provide any answers regarding the why of the accident. But the scale of the destruction was such that the Office recommended that drivers stay away from the area surrounding the derailment.
Of course, the internet has been having a field day examining and extrapolating from the released images. Some have pointed to the apparent solidity of the Gladiator pickup, as one of them is sitting upside down in one image, roof largely intact. We don’t of course know how violently the Gladiator was thrown onto its back.
Also noted by keen-eyed observers are the steel wheels seen on the GM pickups. These appear to be cheaper wheels than the ones buyers get on the finished product, possibly put there to discourage would-be truck thieves.
Beyond the detective work, many are understandably lamenting the fact that most of the vehicles involved in the accident are write-offs and will never be driven. Hard to imagine an automaker putting a new vehicle involved in a serious accident on the road in the hands of an owner, for fear of opening itself up to potential lawsuits.
One online commenter, likely a Jeep lover and very possibly a Jeep Wrangler fan, pointed out that the white Wrangler observed in one photo seems to be the only vehicle to have emerged unscathed from the vehicular carnage.
