FRIEDENS, Pa. — Two crew members and the truck driver were injured after a coal truck struck and derailed the locomotives of a CSX train sat a grade crossing in Somerset Township on Monday (March 10).
WTAE-TV reports the truck caught fire following the collision. WTAJ reports a locomotive fuel tank was ruptured, leaking fuel into a nearby creek, but that hazmat crews have mitigated that issue.
The collision, at State Route 281 (Storytown Road) near Culligan Road, will lead to the closure of Storytown Road until at least Thursday, March 13, according to the Somerset County Department of Emergency Services.
CSX said in an updated statement that the incident occurred about 2:45 p.m. at the Cupps Road grade crossing, and that the three injured individuals were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The railroad says the locomotives have been cleared from the scene and that rail operations have resumed, but that residents may continue to experience temporary road closures and detours in the affected area while crews work to replace the damaged crossing signals at Route 281. The cause is under investigation.
The incident site is on CSX’s S&C Subdivision, about 34 miles south of Johnstown, Pa.
— Corrected March 12 at 11:16 a.m. CT to note that truck hit train; updated at 11:38 a.m. CT with new CSX statement.
Believe that would be Stoystown Road, not Storytown.
That’s right. Most likely someone from Trains Staff will make the necessary correction in the article.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
When will these truckin’ cowboys ever learn???!!
I think the unfortunate overturned CSX locomotive with a severely damaged front must have been an EMD GP40-2.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Yes. It was originally WM 4366.
Totally true. It was built in 1979, if I’m not wrong.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
This may have been a tie but I think the CSX lost big time dollars and cents wise. Trucking company lost big time too.
Why don’t they ever say if the driver of the truck is being arrested?
Trains NEVER lose. You might tie, like this time, but trains never lose.
Tate & Lyle tanks carry corn syrup.
That’s right. Those 17,600 Gallon Corn Syrup Tank Cars were built in large numbers by Trinity Industries between 1984 and 1998. They are commonly used in the transport of corn syrup, liquid sugar and molasses from processing facilities to bulk distribution centers. Over 7,000 cars were built and most remain in active service today.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
The 2 CSX crew were very lucky they were not seriously injured after looking at the front of the loco on its side. Apparently, the train almost got stopped before hitting the coal truck. Only 2 loco lengths beyond the crossing if the crossing was the one blocked by the truck. Wonder what the 1st tank car was carrying or if empty?
Alan Jones, the truck hit the train and knocked it off the track. Not as surprised that the crew wasn’t seriously injured as the fact that the truck driver wasn’t seriously injured. The train couldn’t have been going very fast.
The tank car was probably carrying corn syrup. don’t know if it was loaded or empty.