(August 26, 2026 – Gunter, Texas)
Earlier this week, two individuals were left seriously injured after their vehicle was struck by a BNSF freight train on Wednesday afternoon at approximately 5:21 p.m. The catastrophic crash occurred in northern Gunter, TX, at the BNSF railroad-highway grade crossing on Reed Ln.
Authorities have not yet released the identities and ages of the victims of the crash. According to a media release by Gunter Volunteer Fire & Rescue, responders arrived at the scene and found the wrecked vehicle overturned and on its back. Two victims were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Whether other passengers were in the vehicle has not been disclosed.
The railroad crossing on Reed Ln where the collision occurred is owned and operated by BNSF Railway. Despite having an average of seven trains per day traveling over the crossing at 40 miles per hour, the crossing is not protected by any active warning devices, such as lights and gates. The presence of vegetation along the roadway leading to the eastbound approach, combined with train volumes and speeds, may pose a risk to drivers by limiting sightlines and reducing the time for a motorist to identify the approaching train and react safely.
It is virtually certain that the installation of lights and gates at this crossing would have prevented this tragic loss of life. Studies conducted over fifty years ago confirm that lights and gates can drastically reduce the number of vehicle-train collisions by up to 96%.
The collision comes less than two weeks after a motorist collision with a derailed train resulted in a death just 16 miles away.