Train Strikes SUV Stalled on Tracks
No one was injured Thursday when an Amtrak train struck an unoccupied sports utility vehicle in Van Nuys, authorities said.
The accident occurred about 10 a.m. on the tracks near Hayvenhurst Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard. The Ford Explorer had stalled on the tracks as the train approached, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
The conductor of the train, which was traveling about 55 mph, could not stop it before slamming into the vehicle, Amtrak spokeswoman Jennifer McMahon said.
“The engineer must apply the emergency brakes about a mile before impact to safely stop,” she said. “By the time the engineer sees something, it’s usually too late.”
None of the 65 passengers on the train bound for Santa Barbara on board was injured.
The train was delayed about 35 minutes before resuming service, McMahon said.
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