CWF gets hit by a train

http://www.kbzk.com/story/28162493/truck-hit-by-train-near-three-forks



Posted: Feb 20, 2015 3:15 PM MST
Updated: Feb 20, 2015 3:15 PM MST

THREE FORKS -
The driver of a semi hit by a train on Madison Road wasn't injured according to a Montana Highway Patrol trooper.

The trooper said the driver of a semi was heading north on Madison Road and did not stop or look to see if the train was coming.

We will have more details on tonight's news

(Personal note: unmarked crossing. No train signals or stop signs)

 

One of my coworkers came in right behind the CWF driver to deliver more freight and saw the aftermath and took some pics. According to my coworker, there was a large panel of the trailer stuck to the top of the train. The wreck happened at 2 PM yesterday and cleanup crews were out there till about 8 PM cleaning it up still. Luckily it was a rural road leading to a frontage road. Had this happened in nearby Bozeman or Belgrade, it would have been chaotic. I can tell you right now that they will be looking at his work/personal phone records to see if he was using those during the final minutes leading to the accident.

On a side note, I delivered that area two weeks ago and crossed the same tracks. They are only active about once every 2 weeks for a train or two. Really really bad timing.

 

Driver IS lucky to be alive. Conway Freight will probably suspends this guy for a few weeks "pending a formal investigation". I am sure a ton of lawyers and insurance reps will try to reconstruct what the driver was doing inside the cab before the accident happened.

It really was a careless mistake that should not have happened. He crossed the tracks once to get into a dead end road to make a delivery. His only option was to cross over again.