(The Associated Press circulated the following article on October 9.)
THORSBY, Ala. — A CSX train collided with a log truck Monday morning, overturning the truck’s trailer and causing some of the logs to spill onto U.S. Highway 31.
Officials indicated the truck, which was making a delivery to International Paper, tried to cross the tracks from County Road 623 onto Highway 31 about 9:30 a.m. The driver reportedly didn’t see the northbound train at first and couldn’t clear the tracks in time. The train then struck the right rear of the truck.
The driver was apparently trying to cross the tracks onto Highway 31 and enter the main gate of the plant that is farther north.
“He’s not the first one that’s done the exact same thing, and, unfortunately, probably won’t be the last,” Thorsby Police Chief Ed Prady said.
The truck driver and the engineer only suffered minor injuries. Traffic was blocked for the rest of the morning as crews worked to clear the highway.