Two replicas of historic trains collided at the Golden Spike National Historic Site in Box Elder County Wednesday. No one was injured in the collision.
"Wood splintered, shattered and just went everywhere and a cloud of steam was released," said Margaret A. Johnston, superintendent for the site, which is owned and maintained by the National Park Service.
Johnston said the cause of the accident appears to be a miscommunication between the two locomotives. She said the trains use a whistle blowing system to signify their movements and the signals likely got confused.
The pilots or cow catchers of the two trains, the Jupiter and the 119, were damaged in the accident. The damage to the 119 was minimal, but the entire front pilot on the Jupiter must now be replaced, she said.
The collision occurred just hours after Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. announced that a Golden Spike theme will appear on Utah's statehood quarter.
Johnston said the Park Service will be investigating the cause of the accident further.