By Rita Cook
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
WAXAHACHIE – If you are one of those drivers who sneaks up close to the train track while the train is going through the intersection, you might want to remember train cars can and do derail and overturn.
Last week in Waxahachie a 110-car Union Pacific train near downtown did just that with 16 derailed cars and 14 overturned cars that blocked five intersections at one point after the derailment.
There were no injuries, but the derailed cars contained flammable ethanol.
Fortunately, no leaks were detected, but hazardous material specialists were called in for investigation.
Waxahachie City Manager Michael Scott said road damage on streets in the area near the tracks would need maintenance and it would be a lengthy cleanup.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported injuries and deaths occur at rail crossings every day. In 2021, there were more than 1,600 collisions between vehicles and freight and commuter trains, and nearly 500 collisions at transit train crossings in 2020. Overall, 133 people died and 644 people were injured. Most of the tragedies were preventable.
NHTSA offers these safety tips:
- Stop, look both ways, and listen and remember trains have the right of way.
- Don’t stop on the tracks. Make sure you have room to get across.
- Stop 15 feet away from flashing red lights, lowered gates, or a stop sign.
- Never drive around a lowering gate or ignore signals.
- After a train passes, wait for gates to fully rise and for all lights to stop flashing.
- Never assume there is only one train coming from a single direction.
If your car stalls on a track, get everyone out — even if you don’t see a train coming and run away from the tracks and your car to avoid being hit by flying debris.
