(June 3, 2026 – Poweshiek County, Iowa)
A father was critically injured and his son killed after their semi was struck by an Iowa Interstate Railroad train in the afternoon of Wednesday, June 3. The incident, which also resulted in the train’s derailment, occurred on Highway 21 between Brooklyn and Victor, IA, just south of Highway 6.
Authorities have confirmed the identities of the victims as driver Michael Orton, 38, and passenger Robert Orton, 14, both of Palmyra, Missouri. The Iowa State Patrol has indicated that the father and son were driving southbound on Highway 21 in the semi-trailer, hauling a large John Deere tractor, when their vehicle was hit by the Iowa Interstate Railroad train. Robert Orton was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene. His father, Michael, was airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics with significant injuries. The train conductor and engineer were hospitalized nearby for minor injuries.
The collision derailed about 20 train cars and two engines, causing major and extensive damage to the rails and roadway, though, fortunately, hazardous materials were not a concern. In the aftermath, Highway 21 was closed in both directions for several days.
According to railroad supplied information to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the crossing on Highway 21 where the tragedy occurred is a public at-grade crossing. Train traffic at the intersection travels at speeds up to 40 miles per hour, and the posted speed limit for motorists is 55 miles per hour. Being just off Highway 6 and Interstate 80, the crossing sees a large volume of motorist traffic, with an average annual daily traffic count of 1,180, nearly a quarter of which is composed by trucks.
The Highway 21 crossing may pose a particular risk to motorists. Given the large volume of traffic traveling at high velocities on the roadway, drivers may have difficulty stopping in time and doing so safely with other motorists nearby. The fast-paced environment of a highway also may not be suitable for motorists to yield and check for trains. This may be worsened by vegetation in the northeast quadrant of the crossing that may obstruct sight lines for southbound motorist traffic attempting to observe westbound trains.
Nonetheless, the crossing is not equipped with any life-saving automatic gates. The installation of automatic gates has proven to reduce the likelihood of collisions at crossings by up to two thirds. It almost certainly would have prevented this tragedy.
The Iowa State Patrol is continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragic collision.