An MBTA Commuter Rail train collided with a minivan in Abington, Massachusetts, resulting in serious injuries for the driver and causing significant delays on that rail line. The accident, which took place yesterday afternoon, saw first responders rushing to the scene to aid the 45-year-old female driver, who was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment, as stated by NBC Boston.
The collision occurred at a railroad crossing near the junction of Railroad Street and North Avenue. Video footage provided by WCVB shows the destroyed minivan lying in a ditch beside the train. The incident took place just after 3 p.m. Witnesses reported that it appeared the minivan's driver went around a crossing gate and then stopped on the tracks. Brian Baker, an eyewitness, recounted the train conductor's attempts to halt the train, remarking that the train conductor "did everything he could do to slow the train down. All the way from that intersection, he locked it up, train was shaking, he did a great job."
According to interviews conducted by NBC Boston, passengers felt the impact, with one passenger, Brian Walters, relaying, "All of a sudden they hit the airbrake really quick," and recollecting the shock of another passenger exclaiming upon the crash. The train company, Keolis, asserts that the safety equipment at the crossing was operational and that the incident stemmed from the minivan driver's failure to cede at the crossing.
The driver, found conscious and alert by paramedics who arrived at the scene, is said to be an employee of Road to Responsibility—a local organization that supports individuals with disabilities. Fortunately, according to the organization's president, no clients were in the vehicle at the time of the accident. The MBTA has reported no injuries among train passengers, and transit police will conduct an exhaustive investigation to determine the specific circumstances of the accident. Meanwhile, detours and service alerts have been issued, as North Avenue was closed for repair work on the crossing gate, as per an MBTA social media post about the expected Kingston Line delays.
