Witness Claims Train Traveled Half Mile After Hitting Car in Blauvelt: Key Details
Overview of the Incident
Orangetown Police are currently investigating a recent collision between a freight train and a vehicle in Blauvelt on Tuesday, July 22. The Blauvelt Volunteer Fire Company confirmed that no one was injured in the incident. The driver of the vehicle, an older model Toyota Prius, emerged unharmed from the crash. According to eyewitnesses who chose to remain anonymous, the train, which was traveling from Bergen County, New Jersey, to Selkirk in Albany County, struck the Prius. After the collision, the train continued for between a quarter to half a mile before coming to a stop, with 35 train cars having crossed the intersection by that time.
The location of the incident is listed on LoopNet as a 104,406-square foot industrial building known to be an Amazon warehouse. Preliminary data from NY511.org indicated no road closures in the area as of 10:30 a.m. on the day of the incident.
Response and Investigation
Mike Catania, assistant chief with the Blauvelt Volunteer Fire Co., stated that the fire department, Orangetown Police, and South Orangetown Ambulance Corps responded to reports of a car versus a train at 400 Oritani Drive around 9:44 a.m. on Tuesday. Upon arrival, Orangetown Police officers informed them that there were no injuries or entrapment. Firefighters checked for any fluid leaks or potential fire risks and cleared the scene.
Catania could not confirm the specific circumstances that led the vehicle onto the tracks and mentioned that further investigation would be conducted by Orangetown Police and CSX Police. CSX, the company operating the train, provided a similar statement to The Journal News but did not comment on the cause of the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board also had no information on the cause of the crash as of 11:50 a.m.
Historical Context of the Area
The CSX freight rail line in Rockland has seen its share of train-related incidents. The Oritani Road crossing, where the recent collision occurred, is equipped with an active warning system, including a gate that descends to alert motorists and pedestrians. However, just three-quarters of a mile north of Oritani, near Pineview Road, lies a more accident-prone intersection. This area, located over the line into Clarkstown, has been the site of more than 11 crashes in the past 45 years.
In October 2020, the Clarkstown Town Board submitted a petition to the State Department of Transportation requesting that the Pineview Road crossing be converted from a private CSX-owned crossing to a public one. The petition highlighted the lack of active warning systems at the site, relying only on passive signs. It argued that the current safety features were inadequate given the high volume of traffic using the crossing, which includes cars, trucks, tractor trailers, and landscape trailers.
Past Incidents at Pineview Road
The Pineview Road crossing has seen several notable incidents:
- 2019: A train struck an unload vehicle trailer. No injuries, but damage to the trailer and a utility pole.
- 2018: A car and truck were struck by a train within a month of each other.
- 2017: An SUV backing off the tracks was hit by a train, tearing off the front bumper. No injuries.
- 2015: A tractor-trailer was hit by a CSX train. No injuries.
- 2013: A 18-wheeler car-carrier hauling new vehicles was struck by a CSX freight train. The driver was hospitalized.
Other incidents occurred between 1980 and 1988, including two cases where drivers were injured in 1986 and 1988, and a tractor-trailer was struck in 1984.
After the petition was filed, another incident occurred in October 2022 when a CSX train hit a car carrier at the Pineview Road crossing, sending two vehicles off the rig. Each time a crash occurs at Pineview Road, police and investigators are called, leaving the neighborhood east of the tracks without a way out. Similarly, at Oritani, the site of Tuesday's crash, the only access to the Amazon warehouse and Aerco company is over the CSX tracks.
Conclusion
The ongoing investigation into the recent incident highlights the need for continued scrutiny of railway crossings and their safety measures. As the community continues to grapple with the implications of these events, the focus remains on ensuring the safety of all road users and preventing future collisions.