1 dead, 66 hurt when truck hits W. Va. tourist train
Michael Winter, USA TODAY 6:03 p.m. EDT October 11, 2013
Trucker dies after hitting train on fall-color excursion on Cheat Mountain.
A logging truck slammed into a fall tourism train at a rail crossing in eastern West Virginia on Friday afternoon, killing the trucker and injuring 66 passengers, officials said.
Three people were critically injured in the accident, which happened at 1:30 p.m. at a crossing on along U.S. Route 250 atop Cheat Mountain, about 160 miles east of Charleston, Randolph County emergency services director James Wise told WCHS-TV. Two of the three cars of the Cheat Mountain Salamander overturned.
Ambulances transported 21 people to a hospital in Elkins, while 45 with lesser injuries were transported by bus, Wise told reporters.
The truck driver was not immediately identified.
The train, owned by Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, was carrying tourists on a day-long, 88-mile excursion through Appalachian spruce forests and mountain wilderness at the peak of fall foliage. The train carried 63 passengers and three crew members, said Sandy Burky, director of passenger services.
The diesel-powered train left Elkins, W. Va., at 10:15 a.m. and was to return at 5 p.m.
State clean-up crews were called to remove a large fuel spill, a spokesman for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin told the Associated Press.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved and the emergency responders working the tragic accident in Randolph County this afternoon," the governor said in a statement.
Uke said
10:22 PM, 10/11/13
Reported by: Jeff Morris Web Producer: Jeff Morris Also Contributing: Mamie Buoy, The Associated Press Reported: Oct. 11, 2013 2:51 PM EDT Updated: Oct. 11, 2013 5:25 PM EDT
Geoff Hamill/Pocahontas Times Photo
Huttonsville, Randolph County , West Virginia
A logging truck driver was killed and 66 people on a passenger train were transported to a hospital after the truck slammed into the train in Randolph County, a railroad official said.
Sandy Burky, director of passenger services at Durbin Greenbrier Valley Railroad, said the train struck in the accident Friday afternoon was the Cheat Mountain Salamander. She said a total of 66 people on the train -- 63 passengers and three crew members -- was taken to Davis Memorial Hospital following the wreck that occurred at a railroad crossing.
"They are getting taken to the hospital just so everybody can get checked out," Burky said.
Burky said the train left Elkins at 10:15 a.m. Friday and was due to return at 5 p.m. Emergency officials said the accident happened about 1:30 p.m. on U.S. 250 at the top of Cheat Mountain. Two of the passenger cars were tipped over, emergency officials said.
"It is a tragedy because there is a lot of tourism that is brought to West Virginia because of this company," Burky said."It is just unfortunate."
Burky said the railroad company is similar to an adventure park when it comes to generating tourism interest.
"We are providing a huge service here for tourism," Burky said. "People come to West Virginia to ride our trains." (Who knew?)
Troll said
10:03 AM, 10/12/13
Leaf Peepers cheated on Cheat Mountain
Calvin said
3:40 PM, 10/12/13
TRUCKER PICKS WRONG SALAMANDER TO RUN OVER.
Freddie Krueger said
4:32 PM, 10/12/13
JUST A BUMP ON A LOG....
Snippy said
5:12 PM, 10/12/13
Snippy wrote:
Leaf Peepers Cheated On Cheat Mountain
Sorry, rules are rules.
Freddie Krueger said
5:17 PM, 10/12/13
It has been ruled that sodomy is okay in Vagina. Everyone meet Snippy at Uke's bathhouse. Rules are rules.....
Cy Valley said
8:09 PM, 10/12/13
You read through the comments and there's Pines, spreading his particular brand of garbage.
Phreddie's comments above make me believe he can't hardly wait to get there.
1 dead, 66 hurt when truck hits W. Va. tourist train
Trucker dies after hitting train on fall-color excursion on Cheat Mountain.
A logging truck slammed into a fall tourism train at a rail crossing in eastern West Virginia on Friday afternoon, killing the trucker and injuring 66 passengers, officials said.
Three people were critically injured in the accident, which happened at 1:30 p.m. at a crossing on along U.S. Route 250 atop Cheat Mountain, about 160 miles east of Charleston, Randolph County emergency services director James Wise told WCHS-TV. Two of the three cars of the Cheat Mountain Salamander overturned.
Ambulances transported 21 people to a hospital in Elkins, while 45 with lesser injuries were transported by bus, Wise told reporters.
The truck driver was not immediately identified.
The train, owned by Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, was carrying tourists on a day-long, 88-mile excursion through Appalachian spruce forests and mountain wilderness at the peak of fall foliage. The train carried 63 passengers and three crew members, said Sandy Burky, director of passenger services.
The diesel-powered train left Elkins, W. Va., at 10:15 a.m. and was to return at 5 p.m.
State clean-up crews were called to remove a large fuel spill, a spokesman for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin told the Associated Press.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved and the emergency responders working the tragic accident in Randolph County this afternoon," the governor said in a statement.
Reported by:
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Also Contributing: Mamie Buoy, The Associated Press
Reported: Oct. 11, 2013 2:51 PM EDT
Updated: Oct. 11, 2013 5:25 PM EDT
Huttonsville, Randolph County , West Virginia
A logging truck driver was killed and 66 people on a passenger train were transported to a hospital after the truck slammed into the train in Randolph County, a railroad official said.
Sandy Burky, director of passenger services at Durbin Greenbrier Valley Railroad, said the train struck in the accident Friday afternoon was the Cheat Mountain Salamander. She said a total of 66 people on the train -- 63 passengers and three crew members -- was taken to Davis Memorial Hospital following the wreck that occurred at a railroad crossing.
"They are getting taken to the hospital just so everybody can get checked out," Burky said.
Burky said the train left Elkins at 10:15 a.m. Friday and was due to return at 5 p.m. Emergency officials said the accident happened about 1:30 p.m. on U.S. 250 at the top of Cheat Mountain. Two of the passenger cars were tipped over, emergency officials said.
"It is a tragedy because there is a lot of tourism that is brought to West Virginia because of this company," Burky said."It is just unfortunate."
Burky said the railroad company is similar to an adventure park when it comes to generating tourism interest.
"We are providing a huge service here for tourism," Burky said. "People come to West Virginia to ride our trains." (Who knew?)
Leaf Peepers cheated on Cheat Mountain
TRUCKER PICKS WRONG SALAMANDER TO RUN OVER.
JUST A BUMP ON A LOG....
Phreddie's comments above make me believe he can't hardly wait to get there.
Update with pics:http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/W-Va-passenger-train-truck-collide-driver-ID-ed-4888654.php#photo-5310594
SPLAT!!
Cnippy remembers when some rotten fucker was SPLAT!ing Pines at UURR.