A Norfolk-Southern train slammed into a pick-up truck at its crossing on Hitzfield Street in Huntington, Indiana tragically killing a father and son Weds morning on December 30, 2009

The Norfolk-Southern train slammed into the pick-up truck at its crossing on Hitzfield Street shortly after 11am, instantly killing the father, 44-year old Wally Bowers and his son, 22-year old Nathan Bowers. The crossing does not have lights or swing arms, just two stop signs on both sides of the tracks.

The family of the victims of the train-truck accident spoke out to Indiana’s NewsCenter.

Wally sold scrap metal for a living to help support his family including his special-needs son Nathan. LeBecca Boyer, Wally’s former wife, owns several rental properties, but the economy has taken a toll on her income, leaving no money for Christmas presents.

Now Boyer is left with little money for funeral expenses for men she says would have given the shirts off their backs for anybody.

“I’ll sell my house and all of my belongings if I have to,” said a tearful LeBecca.

Boyer and her family hope new safety measures will be installed at the crossing. Residents tell Indiana’s NewsCenter that something “should be done there” to prevent another tragedy.

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Tennessee Music City Star commuter train hits dump truck crossing railroad tracks

The Music City Star is a commuter rail service that runs between Nashville and Lebanon, Tennessee covering 32 miles of rail line. The railroad service uses the existing tracks of the Nashville and Eastern Railroad and currently has six stops: Riverfront Station (western terminus), Donelson, Hermitage, Mt. Juliet, Martha (Tennessee State Route 109 and U.S. Highway 70), and Lebanon (eastern terminus).

The train was on its way to pick up passengers in Lebanon when it struck the semi dump truck on a construction crossing just east of Highway 109, Metropolitan Transit Authority spokeswoman Patricia Harris-Morehead reports.

Approximate location of Music City Star train and truck accident near Lebanon, TN

According to Harris-Morehead there were no passengers on the train at the time, only the train engineer and conductor.  The train hit the truck while the truck was backing across the tracks. The truck driver was not injured.

The train was preparing to make its last run of the morning. Its afternoon schedule was not affected by the crash.

The Tennessee Titans football game is still scheduled for Friday. The Music City Star train is scheduled to run a Game-Day Express to shuttle passengers to and from the Tennessee Titans football game on Friday. This accident will not interrupt any of those plans, officials said.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority took over management of the train last year from the Regional Transportation Authority, which started running between Lebanon and Nashville in 2006.

Harris-Morehead said Tuesday afternoon’s accident was the fifth time the train had collided with a vehicle along the route, which runs from Nashville’s riverfront through Hermitage, Donelson and Mt. Juliet before it ends off Baddour Parkway in Lebanon.

None of those crashes resulted in serious injuries, she said.

In August 2008, the train hit a car stuck in a ditch near Tulip Grove Road in Hermitage. A month later, a teen was treated for bumps and bruises after being hit by the train while driving his truck over the tracks in Lebanon. Police said he tried to cross the tracks despite the flashing warning lights, and that he got out of his truck before the train hit it.

Tennessean.com contributed to this story.

The law firm of Gordon & Elias offers legal information to anyone who may have been injured in a train or semi truck accident in Tennessee or nationwide.  Steve Gordon is a nationwide FELA lawyer and truck accident attorney who specializes in helping individuals and families who may need help.

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Matthews, NC truck accident; train collides with tractor traier stuck on train tracks

The Matthews Police Department reports that the trailer got stuck on the tracks on Crestdale Road near East Charles Street. Because the truck driver was able to un-hitch the cab of the truck from the trailer, the train, which consisted of two locomotives and 19 cars, hit the trailer resulting in an accident.

Crestdale Rd. at E. Charles St. was closed, as well as Tank Town Rd. at the E. Charles St. rail crossing. Around 10:30 AM CSX was able to move the train and reopen access to Tank Town Rd. and the Rainbow Ridge community.

Repairs of the affected rail crossing at Crestdale Rd. and clean up of the scene lasted into the afternoon hours.

The driver of the truck was cited for careless and reckless driving; and obstructing a rail road crossing with a commercial motor vehicle, according to the Town of Matthews

State Highway Patrol Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement Troopers responded to assist with the investigation and charged the trucking company, Heartland Express, with failure to display triangles on a disabled vehicle and disobeying traffic signs for vehicle restrictions.

If you need information about truck accident law pertaining to North Carolina, talk to a North Carolina truck accident lawyer who is qualified to answer your questions. At TruckAccidents360.com, you can find a North Carolina truck accident attorney who specializes in representing victims involved in tractor trailer, big rig truck injury accidents.

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Missouri train and truck accident ends in tragedy. One Dies; children injured.

Missouri State Highway Patrol says Kristy Willis, 33, was driving 1992 Chevrolet 1500 pick-up truck with three passengers inside.

Kelsey Turner, 8, sat in the front seat. Two other kids, Tiffany Bowden, 15, and her brother Carl, 16, sat in the truck’s bed.

The Highway Patrol says the car and train collided when the pick-up tried to cross the railroad tracks along Highway 60.

Tim Bowden, the father of the two kids who were in the pick-up bed, says Tiffany saw Willis reach across the front seat to help Turner, perhaps with her seat belt.

Bowden says Tiffany and Carl saw the train coming and jumped out of the pick-up bed just in time. They’re doing okay.

But Highway Patrol says, 8 year old Kelsey who was in the front seat, suffered serious injuries and was taken by helicopter to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.

Troopers also said that Willis, who was driving, died in the crash. Accident reports show neither Willis nor Turner were wearing seat belts.

Bowden says he’s very shaken by what happened.

“It’s a tragedy,” he says. “From what my daughter told me, they pulled up on the tracks and nobody had even seen the train. The train didn’t even blow a whistle, didn’t blow a horn or nothing.”

Bowden says his kids had just gotten off the school bus, and Willis, their neighbor, was giving them a ride home from the bus stop.

Reports show that the train driver Edward Cleeton, 50, was not injured and was driven from the scene.

Gordon & Elias, offer experienced legal counsel including Truck Law and FELA Law information. If you need to speak to a truck accident or train accident attorney, Missouri FELA Lawyer and Missouri truck accident attorney , Steve Gordon is available 24/7.

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Semi truck crashes into train near the town of Baltic, South Dakota about 13 miles from Sioux Falls

The truck driver, Toby Hanson, 36, of Crooks was heading east on 254th Street, just west of 475th Avenue when he failed to stop for a flashing red light. Hanson suffered minor injuries. He was treated and released from a hospital Monday. The train engineer was not injured.

According to Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Steen, Hanson saw the train but wasn’t able to stop in time. The officer said Hanson told him that he thought he was going 56 or 57 mph.

“That’s very lucky on his part. Normally car-train accidents don’t end too well,” Steen said.

Watch Video below:

There was about $75,000 worth of damage to the track and rail cars, according to Jack Parliament, president of D&I Railroad. The damaged tracks could be out of service for several days, he stated.

“People should be aware that trains run at any time. Lights and warning signals are there for a reason,” Parliament said.

Location of Sioux Falls, South Dakota semi truck and train accident

The railroad crossing lights were working, and Hanson was cited for failure to stop at flashing red lights, which comes with a $105 fine, authorities said.

Below is a Google street view of the intersection where the semi truck and train accident occurred. Click the mouse button and drag it to pan around the scene of the accident.

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A variety of factors can cause a truck accident. Simple care and attention to detail by a truck driver or a trucking company can prevent many accidents from happening. If you need information about truck accident law or FELA law pertaining to South Dakota, talk to a South Dakota truck accident attorney who is qualified to answer your questions. At TruckAccidents360.com, you can find a nationwide truck accident attorney who specializes in representing victims involved in tractor trailer, big rig truck injury accidents.

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