(The following report appeared on the Rockford Register Star website on March 12.)
ROCHELLE, Ill. — A Union Pacific track machine collided with a train shortly after 8 p.m. Friday in Rochelle.
City police officers initially were called to the scene for a train derailment. They continued to investigate the crash as late as 10 p.m.
The incident occurred near the intersection of the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks between Illinois 38 and First Avenue, near 11th Street.
Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said one of the company’s machines collided with a Burlington Northern train on Union Pacific’s track. Davis said an employee runs the machine, which grinds the rail and re-forms it.
No one was injured in the crash. Davis said investigators would likely be on the scene late into the night determining the crash’s cause.
A Burlington Northern representative could not be reached for comment late Friday night.