add’l info..
— snip from Reuters/Yahoo
Death toll expected to rise in Amtrak collision
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110625/ts_nm/us_amtrak_collision
—
DRIVER TRIED TO STOP
Lopez said National Transportation Safety Board officials, who took over the investigation on Saturday, were trying to determine why the truck driver barreled through closed signal arms before smashing into the side of the train.
He said skid marks indicated that the driver had tried to stop in the seconds before impact.
The fiery crash sent a plume of black smoke billowing into the air over the scene.
“The truck did in fact strike the train at the fourth car and according to witness statements the gates and lights were operational,” Lopez said.
The injured were taken to local hospitals.
skidmarks found..
maybe he was texting?
You don’t expect to run into a train in the middle of a desert, maybe he was new to area..