Driver of Farm Truck Killed in Train Collision

According to KOMO, one man is dead and another injured after their farm truck is hit by a freight train north of Stanwood, Washington.

Details on the Fatal Crash

Sheriff Shari Ireton says the freight train slammed into the farm truck as it crossed the tracks at around 6:15 p.m. local time. The train, which was carrying dozens of cars, continued to move after it struck the truck.

One man in the truck died at the scene, according to KOMO. The other occupant was taken to Harborview Medical Center with unknown injuries.

Detectives investigated the scene along the railroad tracks, closing down a portion of Pioneer Highway at 92 Avenue NW.

What Drivers Should Be Aware Of At a Railroad Crossing

According to Operation Life Saver,

• By the time a locomotive engineer sees a vehicle on the tracks it’s too late. It takes the average freight train traveling at 55 mph more than a mile—the length of 18 football fields—to stop. Trains cannot stop quickly enough to avoid a collision.
• The average locomotive weighs about 400,000 pounds or 200 tons; it can weigh up to 6,000 tons. This makes the weight ratio of a car to a train proportional to that of a soda can to a car.
• Today’s trains are quieter than ever, producing no telltale “clackety-clack.” Any approaching train is always closer, moving faster, than you think.