MBTA Commuter Train Hits Tractor-Trailer At Littleton Crossing
LITTLETON (CBS) - There were long delays on the Fitchburg Commuter Rail line Monday after a train hit a tractor-trailer in Littleton.
Police say the tractor-trailer was almost through the intersection when the train struck the back of it. While there were no injuries, it took crews hours to clear the scene.
"The size of that wrecker is what really filled me in that this is bad," Edmund Shweppe said. Shweppe was on one of the first trains to pull up after the crash.
The MBTA says it appears the driver of the tractor-trailer was caught in the middle of the intersection when the arms started to close.
The driver tried to back up but soon realized he wouldn't have enough time. So then he tried to drive forward but he couldn't get out of the way in time.
"Saw the flatbed with the tire. And the light fixture all wrapped up in it and thought that's not good at all," Shweppe said.
As soon as first responders arrived, they rushed to talk to both the driver of the truck, and the fourteen passengers on the train.
"We hopped on the train, went through the passengers," Littleton Fire Chief Scott Wodzinski said. "They were a little bit shaken up but everybody was fine, nobody had any complaints."
Passengers from the trains trying to pull into Littleton station after the crash got notifications from the MBTA.
Shweppe was shocked to see the truck in the middle of the tracks.
"This train's canceled, that train's delayed because of a crossing incident and it ended up being this incredibly beaten up truck," Shweppe explained.
A collision, that could have been much worse if the train wasn't coming to a stop at the station.
Right now police believe the train was only going 20 miles per hour.
"If it was going faster and had hit the truck at a more central point it could have taken down power lines and transformers and it actually would have pushed the truck down to the train station. So he's very lucky," Chief Wodzinski said.
The crash is still under investigation.
MBTA police say they aren't ruling anything out and it's too soon to say whether or not the driver will face any charges.
Foster Street and Littleton Station are both back open.
