Tractor-Trailer is Hit by a Norfolk Southern Train in Windsor

Virginia’s railroad crossings see numerous serious accidents every year. In November, a train ran into a truck on the tracks in rural Windsor.

Virginia State Police said a tractor-trailer ended up disabled on the tracks where it was struck by a train. The truck caught fire.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported in this crash, according to the railroad operator Norfolk Southern. However, accidents on grade crossings claim lives every year.

State police said the tractor-trailer was stuck on the tracks before it was hit by a Norfolk Southern train. The 56-year-old driver of the truck from Ohio was charged with failure to obey railroad crossing signs. WAVY.com reported that the truck ended up in a ditch at Windsor Boulevard and Route 258, near the Burger King and Dairy Queen.

Grade Crossing Dangers

Virginia has hundreds of grade crossings. Many of them, particularly in rural areas, lack safety features such as gates and flashing lights. Some are in a poor state of repair.

Some crossings have seen multiple deaths and injuries. In 2021, New Kent officials called for action after two deaths at county railroad crossings just months apart. The families of the victims called for lighted crossing arms to be fitted to the crossings.

New Kent supervisor John Lockwood told a local TV news channel three crossings in the county had concerned residents for years. He said a grade crossing at Rockahock Road was particularly dangerous.

Rockahock Campground owns Rockahock Road, where campers cross onto Outpost road, according to reports. “Private crossing” signs are posted on both sides of the railroad tracks — but there are no crossing arms or lights.

While CSX owns the track, crossings on private roads habitually receive fewer safety features than those on state-maintained highways.

Recent Railroad Accidents on Grade Crossings

Some of the worst railroad accidents seen in the United States in recent years occurred on grade crossings.

Six people died in 2015 when a Metro-North train hit a Mercedes SUV on a grade crossing in Valhalla, New York. The impact caused the train to derail, claiming the lives of five occupants. The other fatality was the SUV driver.

When grade crossing accidents cause a loss of life or injury, someone is usually at fault. A trucking company can be held responsible for a train wreck caused by a commercial vehicle if the driver ignores signals. A railroad company may be held responsible for accidents on inadequate or poorly maintained grade crossings.

Contact Our Firm

Talk to our experienced Virginia railroad accident legal team about grade crossing accidents. Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers represents people hurt in train wrecks and workers who are injured on the job. Please call us for a free consultation.