Train Crashes into Truck Carrying Industrial Generator in Houston

A train engineer is in the hospital after an 18 wheeler carrying a large commercial generator crashed into his train in Northwest Houston on Friday.  The accident occurred on Telge Road near the intersection of 290 and Hwy 6.  The enormous generator laid in the road for hours like a beached whale blocking traffic both ways.  Luckily this commercial generator was not one of ours!

The train engineer is suffering from minor injuries according to the news, and is expected to make a full recovery.  Good news considering that the train engine he was driving collided almost head on with the big rig carrying the generator.

The generator was knocked clean off of the truck’s trailer, despite the industrial strength fasteners meant to hold it in position.  If a truck finds itself in the path of a train, the train wins every time.

The truck driver did not suffer any injuries, which is amazing considering that the trailer he was hauling was ripped from his rig.  The truck’s cabin still looks intact too.

From my knowledge of the intersection and the lack of damage to the 18 wheeler’s cab, I would guess that the truck’s driver was waiting at the light while the train was approaching, and he didn’t know that his truck’s load was in the train’s path.  This intersection doesn’t seem very safe because there is only room for two cars to stop and then the train tracks block the rest of the traffic.  Click on the picture below to read an article written by a local blogger about this intersection.

Luckily the train engineer and the truck driver are both fine.  Although it appears that the truck driver made a small mistake that caused major damage to an industrial generator, the damage could have been much worse.  After all, the generator can be replaced.

Reports indicated that the intersection will be closed for some time because the safety equipment installed at the intersection sustained severe damage from the large generator.  We hope the generator gets fixed too; we don’t like generator abuse.