At 8:25 p.m., e.d.t., on October 2, 1977, westbound Seaboard Coast Line/Amtrak passenger train No. 57 struck a northbound pickup truck at a grade crossing in Plant City, Florida. The collision occurred when the pickup truck proceeded past the railroad crossing flashing signals onto the track and into the path of the train which was traveling at 70 mph. The 10 occupants of the pickup truck were killed; neither the crew of the train nor its 30 passengers were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the pickup truckdriver, who was under the influence of alcohol, to stop short of the railroad tracks in response to the warnings of an approaching train and an activated railroad crossing flashing signal.
Railroad/Highway Accident Report: Seaboard Coast Line/Amtrak Passenger Train/Pickup Truck Collision, Plant City, Florida, October 2, 1977
1978
27 pages
Report
No indication
English
Transportation Safety , Railroad Transportation , Road Transportation , Rail transportation , Passenger transportation , Accident investigations , Intersections , Highways , Trucks , Collisions , Motor vehicle operators , Alcoholic beverages , Attention , Florida , Railroad accidents , Railroad highway accidents , Drinking drivers , Railroad highway crossings , Alcohol related crashes , Plant City(Florida) , Amtrak system