(GateHouse News Service circulated this story by John H. Croessman on August 15.)
ELKVILLE, Ill. — Amtrak passengers traveling from Carbondale to Chicago were delayed by more than an hour after an Amtrak train hit the front end of a coal truck at a crossing south of Elkville Monday afternoon.
The train had pulled out of Carbondale at 4:05 p.m. headed north and struck a tractor-trailer owned by Richard Hayes Trucking Co. The truck had been on Route 51 and was crossing over a marked but ungated Canadian National crossing when it was hit.
The Elkville Police Department is handling the accident, and the driver’s name was not immediately available.
The Amtrak engineer stopped the train in Elkville and waited for emergency personnel to arrive. The train was allowed to continue about an hour later.
The crossing is used about 300 times a day 1because of a coal recovery operation in the immediate area.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Department deputies and a reconstruction officer were working alongside local authorities.