Follow up: Ferry and commuter train traffic was delayed for two hours after train sideswiped truck

Temporary signage to block entrance to
BNSF access road on Dayton
Photo by Larry Vogel, My Edmonds News

From MyEdmondsNews.com

Ferry and commuter train service were both delayed and vehicle traffic to and from the Edmonds waterfront was blocked on both Dayton and Main Streets after a truck was sideswiped while driving on a private access road Tuesday morning, Edmonds police said.

The truck — driven by an 82-year-old Edmonds man — was traveling southbound on the road at 5:04 a.m. when it was hit by a southbound tanker train, Edmonds police spokesperson Sgt. Shane Hawley said. Following the incident, the driver was able to get out of the vehicle, then walked to nearby Dayton Street, where police found him. There were no signs of impairment, but police don’t know why the man was driving along the tracks, Hawley added.

The man was transported to Harborview Medical Center but his injuries did not appear to be life threatening, South County Fire spokesperson Leslie Hynes said.

The private access road is one of two that run along either side of the railroad tracks from Dayton Street southbound, and is owned by BNSF. The road on the east side ends at Woodway, but the gravel road on the west side — on which the man was traveling — ends after about 1,200 feet, Hawley explained. That is where the truck was stopped when the train arrived, sideswiping his vehicle.

The train blocked access to the Washington State ferries Edmonds-Kingston terminal, causing delays in early-morning sailings, and also resulted in delays to Sounder commuter train service. Following an investigation into the incident and track inspection, the train was moved at 7:04 a.m., and ferry, train and vehicle traffic resumed.

In response to the Tuesday morning train-vehicle collision, the City of Edmonds has placed temporary “Do Not Enter’ signage at the entrance to two access roads that run parallel to BNSF railroad tracks south of Dayton Street.

The city is working with BNSF to get them to place more permanent signs on their property to prevent future incidents.