(Vancouver, Washington – September 19, 2011)
An unidentified motorist was taken to a local hospital late Monday afternoon about 5:30 P.M. after his pickup truck was struck by an Amtrak passenger train travelling on Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks at a dangerous, unguarded private rural crossing six miles east of Vancouver, WA.
The crossing of Southeast Burlington Drive and BNSF tracks is marked only by passive crossing signs and has no electronic signals to protect drivers from train traffic. In addition to Amtrak trains, the tracks at this point carry about 30 freight trains daily.