The train that collided with a pickup truck carrying three people was travelling no more than 64 km/h when it went through the Olds intersection on Tuesday night, says a CPR spokesman.
Kevin Hrysak of Canadian Pacific Railway said the train was travelling through the town within the mandated track speed of 64 km/h.
Shortly before 11:45 p.m., the collision took place involving a pickup truck and CPR train at the intersection of 50th Street and 50th Avenue.
Three people were injured, including an 18-year-old man from Manitoba who was airlifted by STARS to Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre. Police reported he was in critical condition. His condition was unknown on Thursday. No names have been released.
Olds RCMP report that somehow the truck navigated around the crossing arms.
“The crossing arms and bells and lights were activated at the time the train was approaching,” said Hrysak.
Cpl. Warren Wright, spokesman with Didsbury RCMP, said that the truck collided with the locomotive, which then pushed the truck for some distance.
Hrysak said there was nothing that the crews could have done to prevent the collision.
“This type of thing is extremely hard on our crews,” said Hrysak. “We relieve them of their duty — and offer them critical stress counselling.”
Wright said on Thursday that police continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
No charges have been laid.
The 20-year-old female driver from Edmonton and a 20-year-old Ontario male passenger in the backseat were transported to Olds Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The last fatality involving one of three crossings in Olds occurred in July 2010. A 56-year-old man was westbound in his pickup truck when he collided with a northbound freight train near the intersection of Hwy 27 and 50th Street.
That collision happened sometime after 7 a.m. on a sunny day.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com