An Amtrak passenger train traveling to Chicago from New York City hit a semi-tractor trailer on the far west side Tuesday, leaving about a dozen people injured.
Amtrak said the westbound Broadway Limited was carrying about 228 passengers at the time of the accident, which occurred at the site of a similar mishap 11 months ago.As many as 10 passengers, two crew members and the driver of the truck were injured in the 9:30 a.m. accident. The injured were taken to area hospitals and the remainder of the passengers boarded a second Amtrak train that passed the site en route from Grand Rapids, Mich., to Chicago.
Amtrak spokeswoman Debbie Hare said the train was made up of two engines and 15 cars. Its second engine and a baggage car jumped the tracks.
Hare said the rail crossing is equipped with gates and warning lights. The tracks belong to the CSX railroad.
A massive diesel spill was reported at the scene. Hare said it was possible the fuel spilled from either one or both of the engines.
Hare said the train's engineer was injured and had not yet been able to tell investigators what happened. Witnesses said the truck driver, who was reported critically injured, may have attempted to go around crossing gates.
Hare said the accident was the second in 11 months at the site. On Jan. 21, the Pere Marquette, en route from Grand Rapids Rapids to Chicago, collided with a semi.
She said Indiana is considered a high-risk state for train-vehicle crashes. In 1992, it ranked behind only Texas and Illinois in the number of highway-rail collisions with 293 accidents resulting in 33 deaths and 117 injuries.