Gold Line riders expecting a routine train trip instead found themselves piling onto shuttle buses today after a driver went around lowered crossing gates and hit a Folsom-bound light rail train, according to Sacramento Regional Transit.
The collision shut down a key stretch of the line between the Mather Field/Mills and Sunrise stations, with SacRT rolling out a bus bridge to keep riders moving through the gap. Anyone traveling on the eastern end of the Gold Line has been warned to expect delays and to pad their travel time.
According to Sacramento Regional Transit, the driver passed the downed crossing arms before colliding with the Folsom-bound train. The agency is urging riders to use the Alert SacRT app for real-time updates while crews work at the scene.
Rider Alert: A bus bridge is in place on the Gold Line between Mather Field/Mills and Sunrise stations due to the driver of a car going around the downed crossing arms and colliding with a Folsom bound train. Please check the Alert SacRT app for service updates.
— Sacramento Regional Transit (@RideSacRT) April 17, 2026
How Your Commute Is Affected
Shuttle buses are running between Mather Field/Mills and Sunrise, filling in for trains until the tracks are cleared and inspected. Riders looking to reroute or switch to park-and-ride lots can find maps and parking information on the Mather Field/Mills station and Sunrise station pages.
Anyone headed toward Folsom should keep an eye on service alerts, since trains may not be running on their usual schedule through the affected segment.
A Recent Pattern Of Gold Line Troubles
This is not the first hit to reliability on the Folsom side of the Gold Line this year. In January, a vehicle crashed onto the Iron Point platform and a bystander was killed, prompting service interruptions and another round of bus bridges, as reported by CBS Sacramento. Local outlets have also chronicled earlier vandalism and copper-wire thefts that temporarily sidelined trains on the same stretch.
The result for riders: more uncertainty on a corridor that is supposed to offer a straightforward rail commute between Sacramento and Folsom.
Legal Notes
California law is crystal clear about those crossing gates. Vehicle Code 22451(b) states that a driver must not “proceed through, around, or under any railroad or rail transit crossing gate while the gate is closed,” and violations can bring fines and other penalties, according to the California Vehicle Code.
SacRT’s alert did not include information about injuries or enforcement steps tied to today’s crash, and local authorities may release additional details as the investigation moves forward.
For now, riders on the Folsom segment are being told to leave extra time, check the Alert SacRT app before heading out, and be ready to hop between rail cars and shuttle buses until regular Gold Line service is restored.
