Overview
- A Union Pacific freight train struck a landscaping pickup at State and Locust Streets in Elgin on Oct. 23, killing one worker and injuring two others from Cornerstone Partners.
- The preliminary report says the horn, lights, and gates activated only as the truck entered the crossing, leaving the driver little time to react.
- Data show the train was traveling about 27 mph, below the 30 mph permanent speed restriction for the area.
- The two-person crew—an engineer and a conductor—had been on duty since 8 p.m. the previous night, and onboard video captured traffic crossing seconds before the impact.
- Investigators noted federal rules require 20 seconds of warning; local officials installed temporary stop signs and Union Pacific instituted limited stop‑and‑protect procedures as the NTSB’s review continues.