Southern Pacific train demolishes semi truck in Morrison, IL. Photo credit: Alex T. Paschal

The driver of the big rig, Darrell Harper, 43 years old from Columbus, IL, was not inside the truck at the moment of impact. He was outside of his truck and was not injured in the accident.

According to Morrison Police, Harper was driving northbound on Jackson around 6 am, when his 18 wheeler stalled on the tracks while he was at the railroad crossing. The big rig was stuck on the tracks for about 3 or 4 minutes when a Union Pacific train traveling eastbound about 40 to 50 mph crashed into it. The force of the collision pushing the semi truck down the tracks several feet.

Location of semi truck accident with railroad train in the east side of Morrison, IL

As a result of the accident, the semi was a total loss while the train sustained only minor damage.

Police say that Harper was not cited and that they were not sure what company he was driving for. Police are currently investigating the accident and they were still trying to clear the track in the morning hours.

Police also point out that this was not the first time that a truck stalled on this railroad crossing on Jackson St. It is difficult sometimes for large vehicles to cross the tracks because they are on a steep grade, which can cause stalling.

Just recently, a truck with a gooseneck trailer stalled on the tracks. Warning signs at the tracks could help alleviate the problem.

Below is a Google street view of the railroad crossing where the semi truck stalled on the tracks. You can clearly see the steep grade. You can click the mouse button and pan around the scene of the accident to get a feel for the lay of the land.

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If you need information about truck accident law, FELA law or railroad injury law pertaining to the state of Illinois, talk to an Illinois truck accident attorney who is qualified to answer your questions. At TruckAccidents360.com, you can find an Illinois truck accident lawyer who specializes in representing victims involved in tractor trailer, big rig truck injury accidents.

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