(June 13, 2026 – Goshen, Indiana)
Four people, including two children, were injured in northern Indiana after being involved in an SUV-train collision over the weekend. The catastrophic accident occurred at the N. Main St. crossing, north of Highway 33, and was reported to authorities at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Saturday, June 13.
The identities of the victims of the crash have not been released to the public. They were a 44-year-old woman, 39-year-old man, and two children, aged 5 and 6. According to responders, the four individuals were traveling in a southbound SUV when their vehicle was struck by an oncoming train at the crossing. The woman suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to a regional hospital. Her updated status has not been made public. The man and both children sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The status of train crew members has not been disclosed.
Following the collision, the Beaver Lane and N. Main St. crossings were temporarily closed as crews and investigators occupied the scene. They have since reopened for use.
The Federal Railroad Administration’s records indicate that the N. Main St. crossing where the accident took place is property of the Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) but is also used by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and Amtrak. It is a public at-grade crossing at the intersection of three mainline tracks and a three-lane roadway. On a daily basis, the crossing is frequented by an average of 54 trains, typically with four being intercity passenger trains and the rest being freight trains. The trains travel at speeds of up to 79 miles per hour. As of eight years ago, the crossing had an average daily traffic count of 3,907 motorists and was regularly used by school buses. The posted speed limit for roadway users is 30 miles per hour.
The N. Main St. crossing is equipped with active warning devices, including two quadrant gates, flashing lights, wayside horns, and bells. It is unknown at this time if the active warning devices were operating at the time of this collision. The large and rapid flow of locomotive and vehicular traffic on multiple tracks and lanes introduce frequent opportunities for accidents and may complicate roadway users’ ability to safely use the crossing, particularly given that a new lane opens on the northern approach. These distractions may be especially damaging due to the significant skew of the intersection, which may inherently restrict sight distance, and its location within a populated area, in which surrounding buildings and foliage may create sight obstructions.
The June 13 collision is far from the first to have occurred at the crossing. The railroad has reported at least 14 prior collisions at this crossing, with the most recent prior collision occurring in December 2023. The prior collisions have resulted in three injuries and five fatalities.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the collision.