ELGIN, Ill.(WBBM Newsradio) – Federal investigators are examining warning system problems and crew fatigue after a Union Pacific locomotive struck a landscaping truck in Elgin last fall.
The Oct. 23 crash at the South State Street crossing killed 56-year-old Martin Martinez Jimenez of Round Lake Beach and seriously injured his two passengers.
The National Transportation Safety Board found the crossing gates, bells and flashing lights did not activate until the locomotive was near the crossing. The Federal Railroad Administration said the truck entered the tracks before the warnings activated, leaving the driver little time to react.
The locomotive was traveling alone without railcars, a setup that may not reliably trigger crossing warnings. Federal officials said the crew may not have followed special procedures required for operating equipment with too few axles to activate the system.
Investigators also found several previous instances of short or interrupted warnings at the crossing.
The engineer and conductor had been working for more than 10 hours and both acknowledged feeling fatigued. Union Pacific said the employees met federal work-rest requirements and that the company is cooperating with investigators.
The NTSB has not issued its final report.
