2019 Westbury train collision

Last updated
2019 Westbury train collision
Long Island Railroad M1 MU train at the head of Railroad Museum of Long Island, Riverhead, NY.jpg
Train similar to that involved in the collision
Details
DateFebruary 26, 2019
~7:20 pm
Location Westbury, New York
Coordinates 40°45′14″N73°35′01″W / 40.75389°N 73.58361°W / 40.75389; -73.58361
Country United States
Line Long Island Rail Road
Incident typeCollision with vehicle on rail
Statistics
Trains2
Vehicles1
Passengers200-1000
Deaths3
Injured3-7
List of rail accidents (2010–2019)

The 2019 Westbury train collision was a level crossing collision that involved one vehicle and two separate trains heading in opposite directions. One of the trains derailed and collided into a nearby platform. It was later revealed that the vehicle involved was fleeing the scene of a car accident. [1]

Contents

Accident

On February 26, 2019, at around 7:20 pm, a vehicle containing three passengers drove past a down rail bar gate, signaling a train was approaching. There were two trains about to cross this intersection; one of the trains was heading westward, and the other was going eastward. The eastbound train struck the car first, but kept traveling until it could fully brake. The proceeding westbound train then struck the vehicle, then derailed, only coming to an abrupt stop as it collided into a rail platform. [2] The car burst into flames as it was struck and dragged by the train. [3]

The three in the vehicle were killed instantly. An additional three on the train that derailed were taken to a nearby hospital in serious condition. [1]

Victims

Two of the three fatalities were immediately identified in the crash. They were Miguel Angel Jimenez Luna (36) and Saul Martinez Caravantes (28), with the third victim's identity pending DNA testing. The three victims all worked together at the same grocery store and were believed to be trying to beat the train after the crossing signals were lowered. [4]

Aftermath

As a direct result of the accident, New York senator Kevin Thomas proposed a bill to install security cameras at rail crossings along the line in hopes of identifying other drivers who attempt to cross active rail lines when passing signals are in effect. [4]

It was later revealed the driver of the vehicle was fleeing the scene of an earlier accident. The prior accident was only deemed "minor", but the driver still left the scene. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ufton Nervet rail crash</span> 2004 rail crash caused by suicide of a car driver

The Ufton Nervet rail crash occurred on 6 November 2004 when a passenger train collided with a stationary car on a level crossing on the Reading–Taunton line near Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, England. The collision derailed the train, and seven people—including the drivers of the train and the car—were killed. An inquest found that all railway personnel and systems were operating correctly, and the crash was caused by the suicide of the car driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westbury station (LIRR)</span> Long Island Rail Road station in Nassau County, New York

Westbury is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Main Line. All trains for the Port Jefferson Branch and Ronkonkoma Branch run through it, though only some trains on the Port Jefferson branch stop. It is located at Union and Post Avenues in Westbury, New York. It is 23.4 miles (37.7 km) from Penn Station. The station is fully wheelchair accessible. It has two side platforms and three tracks.

There have been a number of train accidents on the railway network of Victoria, Australia. Some of these are listed below.

The railways of New South Wales, Australia have had many incidents and accidents since their formation in 1831. There are close to 1000 names associated with rail-related deaths in NSW on the walls of the Australian Railway Monument in Werris Creek. Those killed were all employees of various NSW railways. The details below include deaths of employees and the general public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M7 (railcar)</span> Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North car

The M7 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Bombardier for use on the MTA's Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad. With delivery beginning in 2002, the M7 replaced the M1 railcars on both railroads as well as the ACMUs on Metro-North. The cars built for Metro-North were designated as the M7As, and contain minor differences from the M7s found on the LIRR. A total of 1,172 M7 cars were built for the two railroads.

This article lists significant fatal, injury-only, and other accidents involving railway rolling stock, including crashes, fires and other incidents in the Australian state of South Australia. The first known incident in this list occurred in 1873 in Smithfield.

This is a list of significant railway accidents in Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Oxnard train derailment</span> 2015 rail transport disaster in Oxnard, California, USA

The 2015 Oxnard train derailment occurred on February 24, 2015, at 5:44 a.m. local time when a Metrolink passenger train collided with a truck that a driver had mistakenly turned from Rice Avenue onto the tracks and became stuck. After the impact, the train derailed at Oxnard, California, United States. As a result of the crash, the train engineer died from his injuries a week later and 32 passengers and crew members were injured. The truck driver exited his vehicle and ran from the scene prior to the crash; he sustained minor injuries that were unrelated to the crash sequence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hennenman–Kroonstad train crash</span> 2018 rail transit disaster in Free State, South Africa

On 4 January 2018, a passenger train operated by Shosholoza Meyl collided with a truck at a level crossing at Geneva Station between Hennenman and Kroonstad, in the Free State, South Africa. The train derailed, and seven of the twelve carriages caught fire. Twenty-one people were killed and 254 others were injured.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Witness: Driver in train-car crash was fleeing earlier crash". Associated Press. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  2. "LIRR train fatally strikes vehicle in Westbury". Long Island Business News. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  3. "Three people killed in train-vehicle collision, derailment on Long Island". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Yelverton, Syreeta. "Victims Identified In Triple-Fatal LIRR Crash". WSHU Public Radio. Retrieved August 10, 2024.