NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (AP/WAVY) — An Amtrak train that crashed into the rear section of a tractor-trailer in Connecticut Friday morning made it to its Norfolk destination just before 10 p.m. as passengers, some of whom were on the train for more than 17 hours, recounted the incident.
The crash caused minor injuries to a train engineer and damaging warning equipment at the crossing, authorities said.
“We were sort of half-asleep when we hit the truck and were woken up by the train stopping very suddenly,” said Paul Hollings, who was on the train at the time of the incident, “and I saw something go right by the window, very loud right by the window on the right side of the train, and I thought it was another train going the other way. It all felt rather strange, but turns out it was the truck that we had hit.”
Video from WTNH of the scene in North Haven showed heavy damage to the rear of the truck’s trailer and an equipment pole with warning lights and a crossing arm.
“It’s always good to be back safely,” said Buddy White, another person who was on the train. “I thought that they handled things very well from where we joined.”
The crash happened shortly before 6 a.m. as train 141 was heading south to Norfolk from Springfield, Massachusetts, Amtrak officials said. The train with 97 passengers hit the truck at a crossing in an industrial area about 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of New Haven.
The tractor-trailer after being hit a Norfolk-bound Amtrak train on August 9, 2024 in North Haven, Connecticut (WTNH image) 
The tractor-trailer after it was hit by an Amtrak train in North Haven, Connecticut (Courtesy of North Haven Fire Department) 
The tractor-trailer after it was hit by an Amtrak train in North Haven, Connecticut (Courtesy of North Haven Fire Department)
A train engineer was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, and none of the passengers were hurt, Amtrak officials said. The truck driver also was not injured.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. The North Haven Fire Department says it’s believed the truck was delayed in traffic and unable to clear the crossing in time.
Markings on the truck trailer showed the name of a Canadian company, Musket Transport. An employee in the company’s safety department said he was aware of the crash but declined further comment.
Amtrak and local train service was suspended temporarily because of the crash. Amtrak said it was busing passengers on the train to another station. The Amtrak train had been expected to arrive in Norfolk at 7:28 p.m., two hours and 19 minutes later than initially scheduled.
The journey, however, lasted a bit longer.
