From WOOD TV Chan 8
OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Three people were killed when a car was hit by an Amtrak train near Kalamazoo Sunday night, authorities say. It happened around 10 p.m. on S. 11st Street just south of W KL Avenue in Oshtemo Township, Michigan State Police said.
Amtrak tweeted that the train involved was the Wolverine 355 bound for Chicago and that there was a "vehicle incident."
Oshtemo Township Fire Chief Mark Barnes told 24 Hour News 8 that everyone in the car was killed. Police said no one on the train was hurt.
Authorities have not released the victims names pending family notification.
It's unknown what led up to the crash. The incident remains under investigation.
An Amtrak passenger told 24 Hour News 8 over the phone that when the crash happened around 9:45 p.m., he felt the train shake. At first, he thought it had swideswiped another train going the other direction. After the train came to a sudden stop, passengers could hear first responders arriving. They were then told they had hit a vehicle.
The passenger said he could see that the safety arms were down at the railroad crossing and that the lights were activated.
West KL and 11th Street were shut down while emergency responders and investigators were on scene. Both roads have since reopened.
It wasn't yet clear how the Amtrak passengers would get to their destination. One option, the passenger said, was that they may be bused there.
End of WOOD TV story.
The intersection is one where the the tracks cross S. 11st Street close to its intersection with W KL Avenue which has a traffic signal. Wonder if that could have been a factor.
Per https://asm.transitdocs.com/train/2019/2/24/355, it took over seven hours before the train was able to proceed.
I have questions as to whether damage to the locomotive required a replacement engine, or whether the engineer was unable to continue the trip due to injuries, (physical or stress)? I don't know where a replacement crew would come from.
From facebook post by franque thompson
This is what’s left of the car involved in a deadly train crash at the intersection of 11th St & KL Ave in Oshtemo Township. It happened around 10pm Sunday. Police have just opened the roads. Investigators are working to find out why the car & 3 people inside were on the tracks.
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