The railway crossing on Township Road 400 near Range Road 270 where a truck slid on the icy road into a moving train on Nov. 6, according to RCMP. No one was seriously hurt. (Google Maps)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

railway safety

Truck vs. train collision near Blackfalds under investigation

Nov 9, 2019 | 10:11 AM

A reminder about caution and safety around railway crossings is being shared after a scary incident this week in central Alberta.

RCMP K Division say it was around 10:25 on Wednesday morning when a westbound truck slid on the icy roadway into a moving train. The crash happened on Township Road 400 near RR 270, about five kilometres northeast of Blackfalds.

The driver of the truck was taken to hospital with minor injuries, while another passenger refused treatment.

Cpl. Ronald Bumbry says the crossing has no arm that comes down, but lights and sounds were activated. RCMP continue to investigate, and haven’t yet determined if any offence took place.

Meantime, Dean Solowan, a police constable with CN, has shared a number of safety tips for motorists for when they are near train tracks.

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“Be aware how the railway crosses the road on approach. It may be directly horizontal or slightly perpendicular,” he says. “Slow down upon approach and look completely to the left and right, and remember your blind spot/peripheral vision.”

He notes that statistics show more than half of collisions involving railway crossings occur at ones with lights and bells, but without gates. He adds that a freight train with 80 cars travelling at 100 km/h can take up to two kilometres to stop.

According to OperationLifesaver.ca, more than 100 Canadians are seriously injured or killed at railway crossings each year, and almost every one of those is preventable.