1 dead in train-car crash in Round Rock
ROUND ROCK, Texas - One person is dead after a train-car crash in Round Rock.
Officials said the crash happened around 11 a.m., and shut down both directions of the I-35 frontage road at McNeil for hours.
In the early afternoon, warning bells were still ringing as Round Rock officers picked up what was left of the mangled SUV that was struck.
"A vehicle is no match for a train, and so when you have something of that mass slamming into something so small, compared, relatively speaking, it just creates a very dangerous situation," said Daniel Armbruster, a spokesperson with AAA.
The crash killed the driver of the SUV on the scene.
Police have not released the identity of the driver or how they ended up on the rail line.
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"A vehicle was tragically struck by an Amtrak train, in which the Round Rock Police Department is actively investigating the cause of the accident," said Melanie Forcier, with the Round Rock Police Department.
The train was an Amtrak heading from San Antonio to Chicago. The company said it had 46 passengers on board, and no one was injured. It caused a four-hour delay.
Amtrak said it is working with law enforcement to find out how this happened.
"Overall, this is just a sheer, heartbreaking reminder that railroad tracks are incredibly dangerous," said Forcier.
Train crashes happen in Texas more than any other state. In 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration reported almost 250 crashes. Sixteen of those were deadly, and 75 involved injuries.
"There are a lot of incidents and more than there need to be," said Armbruster. "When you're approaching a crossing, it's really important to slow down, remain alert, and turn down the radio. If you see lights flashing, or if you see the gates, of course, you never want to go around those gates. In fact, it's a state law in Texas to yield the right away to trains."
A train traveling at 50 miles an hour can take more than a mile to stop, making it critical that a driver in a stalled car on a railway gets out and goes far away from the intersection.
"If you do stall on the tracks, get everyone out of that vehicle, call law enforcement, or locate the emergency notification sign," said Armbruster.
Amtrak said it was taking care of all the passengers on board the train, but did not specify if they were able to get on another train or bus.