A train plowed into a trailer carrying specialized oilfield equipment to Mexico, the afternoon of Mar. 4, backing up traffic in all directions around Magnolia.
According to the Magnolia Police Department, the trailer was waiting on the tracks for workers to help it clear the overhead railroad signal on FM 1488, when the train came down the tracks.
No one was injured.
Magnolia Police Executive Officer J.K. Seangal said the tracks were blocked at FM 1488 and FM 1774 until around 9 p.m. He said they were dispatched to the scene just before 3 p.m.
"Union Pacific called a company that brought out a crane type piece of equipment that was able to remove the container holding the equipment being transported," he said. "We then called in some heavy tow trucks to remove the trailer."
The trailer was cut in half by the force of the impact.
Witnesses to the event say that they heard workers yelling for the truck driver to move, but the driver apparently did not speak much English and did not understand. That's when one of the workers grabbed the driver and pulled him from the truck at the last minute.
The force of the crash even tore the side of the train's engine off.
With so much heavy equipment involved, police had to look for creative ways to get traffic flowing again.
"We were able to keep traffic moving through the area through detour routes," Seangal said.
The entire scene was cleaned up and the equipment was all moved out of the area late the next morning.
A video of the crash, taken by Magnolia resident Kandi Edwards made the rounds nationally and can be seen on our website, www.tribunenews.com.
