Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 2, 1992 TAG: 9202020239
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
2 TRAIN-TRUCK CRASHES LEAVE 3 INJURED
Two trains struck small pickup trucks in separate wrecks Saturday in Culpeper County and Manassas, injuring three people, authorities said.Both wrecks occurred at grade crossings on the Norfolk Southern line running between Washington and Atlanta, company spokesman Bob Auman said.
In Rapidan, a father and son were thrown from their pickup truck after it was struck by a Norfolk Southern freight train, state police said.
Frank Moore, 61, was flown by helicopter to Fairfax Hospital. Spokeswoman Christine Tea said he was in critical condition.
Anthony Moore, his 38-year-old son, was taken to Culpeper Memorial, then transferred to the University of Virginia Hospital. He was in fair condition, hospital spokesman Jeff Moore said.
The accident occurred about 1 p.m. as the Moores' Toyota pickup was crossing the tracks near Virginia 615 in Culpeper County, Trooper W.O. Miller said. The private crossing is marked with a sign but no barrier.
Miller said the train was traveling around 60 mph, the speed limit for that section of track, when it struck the bed of the truck. The impact sheared the truck in half.
Norfolk Southern's Auman said there was no indication why the truck was on the tracks.
The train was held up for 70 minutes.
In Manassas, an Amtrak passenger train was traveling 25 mph when it struck a truck at 7:43 p.m. at the Main Street crossing, Auman said. The public crossing is marked by swing gates and flashing lights, he said.
"I'm told that the driver of a 1976 Datsun pickup drove around the gate," Auman said. "The flashing lights and gates were checked afterwards and found to be operating properly."
The only person in the pickup was the driver, identified as Jose Ramon Figuera, 28. He was taken to Prince William Hospital, where he was still being evaluated in the emergency room at 9:40, nursing supervisor Terry Taylor said.
Auman said the train, en route from Washington to Atlanta, was delayed for about 40 minutes.
Norfolk Southern is investigating both wrecks, Auman said.