A train collided with an excavator being transported by a tractor-trailer on September 6 in Jasper County, South Carolina. The accident occurred when the truck became stuck on the railroad tracks at a crossing along U.S. Highway 17, near Ridgeland.
A video shared on Facebook shows a man jumping off the truck and running to safety just before the crash. The CSX train hit the truck, trailer, and excavator, dragging them along the tracks and eventually overturning the white truck.
According to a witness, Calvin Smith, who posted about the incident on Facebook, no one was injured in the crash. Smith stated that the truck became stuck on the tracks, and efforts to move it were unsuccessful before the train arrived.
The post suggested that the workers had attempted to contact the train company, CSX, but the train was too close to stop in time. In a last-minute effort, they tried to use the excavator to push the truck off the tracks, but their attempts ceased just seconds before the train collided with the vehicles.
Train Collides with Excavator in South Carolina After Truck Becomes Stuck on Railroad Tracks
The railroad crossing where the accident occurred had a warning sign indicating low ground clearance, which serves to alert trailer haulers of potential issues when crossing. This warning highlights the possibility of trucks getting stuck on the tracks due to the height of their trailers. Photos posted on Facebook from the scene showed the aftermath of the crash, with the truck and equipment severely damaged.
This incident marks the second train crash involving construction equipment in just over a month. Another crash occurred on August 2 in Fort Worth, Texas, where a compact track loader (CTL) being transported by a Ford truck was hit by a train.
In that case, the truck’s driver did not fully cross the tracks, leaving the trailer in the path of the oncoming train. Despite honking from nearby motorists, the driver failed to move the truck, resulting in a collision. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in that incident either.
Railroad crossing accidents are a serious issue, with Texas and South Carolina ranking among the top states for such collisions. According to Operation Lifesaver, a rail safety education organization, Texas had the highest number of highway-rail grade crossing collisions in 2023, with 246 incidents. South Carolina ranked 10th, with 62 similar collisions that year.
