(Burlington, North Carolina – November 16, 2011)
A 1993 Oldsmobile driven by Brandy Danielle Cain of Burlington was struck and damaged by a piece of rail-mounted railroad maintenance equipment at the crossing of Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and Elmira Street Wednesday afternoon. Police in Burlington, NC say the accident was the result of crossing gates which failed to lower in advance of the track tamper/liner machine.
Although her vehicle was a total loss, the driver and her 10-year-old child escaped the crash uninjured. Certain types of equipment used on railroad tracks will not trigger the crossing protective mechanisms, and railroad safety rules require them to stop prior to entering a crossing to ensure there is no opposing highway traffic, or to use a human flag person to halt motor vehicular traffic.
Besides Burlington PD, other agencies responding included the Alamance County Emergency Medical Services and the Burlington Fire Dept.
