At about 11:20 am on Friday June 24, a ‘tractor-trailer’ drove into the side of an Amtrak train at a public railroad crossing in Churchill County, Nevada.
Preliminary reports are that there have been fatalities to passengers, an Amtrak train crew member and the operator of the truck.
Information about the number of fatalities and those injured is pending from local authorities, however, media reports suggest up to 6 people may have been killed and over 100 injured.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation at the incident location about 70 miles east of Reno.
Following medical evaluation and treatment, most passengers continued their travel west on chartered coaches obtained by Amtrak or chose to make their own arrangements.
Amtrak said they are ‘focused on taking care of our customers and employees while working with federal, state and local authorities’.
The California Zephyr (Trains 5 & 6) operates daily between Chicago and Emeryville, California.
The train involved in this incident left Chicago on Wednesday, June 22. It was operating on tracks owned and maintained by Union Pacific Railroad.
Approximately 204 passengers and 14 crew members were aboard at the time of the incident.
