Rail crossing safety in focus after back-to-back crashes

The wreckage from the February 27 collision on Pine Street (CFD photo)

In a span of less than 36 hours last week at railroad crossings located just a half-mile apart, Canton emergency personnel responded to two collisions involving a motor vehicle and an MBTA commuter rail train.

While neither accident resulted in serious injuries, both vehicles sustained significant damage and rail service had to be temporarily suspended, with train passengers transported by shuttle bus between Canton and Stoughton.

In the first incident, reported on Wednesday morning, February 26, a vehicle approaching the Will Drive crossing proceeded onto the tracks and was struck by a Stoughton-bound train. According to Canton Fire Lt. John Hutchinson, one train passenger was transported to the hospital for an evaluation while the two occupants in the car were uninjured.

Officials said the driver had gone around the safety barrier and onto the tracks despite the safety/warning equipment being operational and fully engaged.

The following day, just after 6 p.m., emergency responders were called to another collision between a vehicle and a commuter train at the crossing on Pine Street. According to MBTA transit police, the driver had entered the crossing when the safety/warning system activated, and for unknown reasons, stopped on the tracks and was struck by the oncoming train.

The driver sustained minor injuries and was transported to the hospital by Canton paramedics. No injuries to train passengers were reported.

The site of the second collision was also the location of a reported “near miss” in December involving a bus full of Galvin Middle School students and an oncoming commuter rail train. While no one was injured and there was enough space for the train to pass, Canton School Superintendent Derek Folan said it was a “scary moment” for all involved, with the crossing arm coming down and resting on the bus after the driver failed to stop at the appropriate point.

In response to the bus incident, school and town officials launched an immediate investigation in conjunction with the bus contractor, First Student Inc. The town also reached out to Keolis, operator of the MBTA Commuter Rail, and received permission to have the Canton DPW repaint the road markings on either side of the crossing. The line painting was completed within weeks of the bus incident, and a representative from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) visited the site to ensure the gates/lights were functioning properly.

Canton Town Administrator Charles Doody said he reached out again to Keolis following the recent collisions to confirm that the gates at both crossings were functioning correctly and he does not believe there are any ongoing safety concerns at either intersection.

While they appear to be isolated incidents, the fact that there were two collisions between roadway users and trains in a single municipality on consecutive days is exceedingly rare. According to data from the FRA, there were 14 such incidents in all of Massachusetts — and just two in Norfolk County — in the last calendar year.

In the town of Canton, prior to the two crashes on February 26 and 27, the most recent highway-rail grade crossing incident — defined as any impact between on-track railroad equipment and a roadway user at a rail crossing — occurred more than six years ago, when a vehicle got stuck at the Pine Street crossing and was struck by an MBTA power washer train. The driver in that incident was uninjured and did not require medical treatment.

The most serious train accident in Canton in recent memory occurred a decade prior to that near the Canton Junction station, when a runaway freight car loaded with lumber collided with an MBTA train during the evening commute in late March of 2008. The freight car had become loose in Stoughton and traveled downhill for almost three miles before striking the train near the Chapman Street bridge, injuring more than 150 passengers. Miraculously, the freight car managed to pass through the Canton Center crossing during rush hour and not strike any pedestrians or motorists despite the rail gates not coming down.

While both accidents from last week remain under investigation by transit police, town officials stressed the importance of obeying the law and following common-sense safety measures when navigating train crossings.

Lt. Hutchinson reminded drivers that it is not only dangerous, but illegal to stop on or too close to the tracks. “It’s considered a serious offense and is punishable by a ticket with a fine and [surcharge] points,” he said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges motorists to “stop, look both ways, and listen” when approaching a rail crossing while remembering that trains “always have the right of way.” Drivers should stop at least 15 feet away from flashing red lights, lowered gates, a signaling flagman or a stop sign, and they should never drive around a lowering gate or ignore signals.

Once a train passes, motorists should wait for gates to fully rise and for all lights to stop flashing before proceeding, and they should never assume that there is only one train coming from a single direction.

If a vehicle stalls on the tracks, the NHTSA advises all occupants to quickly get out — even if they don’t see a train coming — and run away from the tracks and their vehicle to avoid being hit by flying debris.

For more safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/campaign/railroad-crossing.

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