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Caltrain Strikes Empty Car on Tracks in San Bruno

The incident occurred in San Bruno at about 6:30 p.m. Monday.

UPDATE 8:19 P.M.: Caltrain tracks in San Bruno reopened shortly before 8 p.m. Monday  evening after a train struck a car on the tracks, a Caltrain spokeswoman said.

While the car was being cleared from the tracks trains turned around to avoid the collision scene with SamTrans operating a bus bridge between the Millbrae and South San Francisco stations.

UPDATE 7:10 P.M.: A commuter train struck a car on Caltrain tracks in San Bruno on Monday  evening, a Caltrain spokeswoman said.

Northbound train No. 381 struck a vehicle on the tracks at San Bruno Avenue at about 6:30 p.m., Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said.

Dunn said it appeared no one was in the vehicle at the time of the collision. No one on board the train was injured.

UPDATE 6:45 P.M.: Caltrain trains were stopped in both directions after an accident involving northbound train No. 381 in San Bruno on Monday night, according to 511.org.

The incident was reported just after 6:30 p.m.

Further details were not immediately available. Check back on Patch for updates.

Are you affected by the delays? Tell us your experience in the comments section.

 

Bay City News Service contributed to this article.

katie March 5, 2013 at 12:30 am
And Caltrain wants high speed rail. We should spend money taking these train underground along pedestrian roads. Level crossings are a recipe for death!!
CAWAWA March 5, 2013 at 12:46 am
Agreed. Where does the money come from?
Chris Zhang March 5, 2013 at 12:47 am
Leave an empty car on the train tracks at rush hour. .. sounds like an intentional act (insurance fraud? Practical joke? ) Not only do they inconvenience thousands of people, they discourage many more from using public transit. They should be thoroughly investigated, and if guilty, punished to the maximum extent of law
Rob Chapman March 5, 2013 at 01:22 am
Katie, they are currently building a grade separation where this incident happened for that very reason.
Mark Taylor March 5, 2013 at 01:22 am
It is certainly suspicious. San Mateo Ave is usually busy so stopping intentionally would be difficult (but not impossible) on the tracks. If a prank, pretty stupid but no doubt the police are tracking down the registered owner of the car. I will not be surprised if it was stolen.
Rob Chapman March 5, 2013 at 01:27 am
Oh, and Caltrain has nothing to do with the high speed rail. Caltrain is run by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, controlled by the counties it serves. The high speed rail is governed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, a state run agency. Do some research before making incorrect assumptions.
Rob Chapman March 5, 2013 at 01:29 am
That intersection is a mess right now. My guess, the car got stuck. Once the grade separation is complete, this kind of thing won't happen anymore.
Rob Chapman March 5, 2013 at 01:31 am
They're construction a grade separation there. The entire intersection is a mess & a pain to navigate. I'm guessing the car got stuck.
Chris Zhang March 5, 2013 at 01:40 am
Getting stuck on the train tracks is not an excuse. If they can't learn how to avoid that they should have their license revoked before they kill themselves
Claudia Cruz (Editor) March 5, 2013 at 02:42 am
@Rob, Caltrain benefits from High Speed Rail money. The two projects may be administered by different entities, but a lot of HSR money will go toward Caltrain electrification.
Mark Taylor March 5, 2013 at 03:06 am
@Rob Chapman-Your right, that intersection is a real mess due to construction. I try to avoid the area except when taking the bus through it (like the 141). Supposedly the trains were supposed to begin running above in the summer, but they have had delays so it may be fall now.
@Chris-A few weeks ago a tractor/trailer driver decided to cross over at Angus (south of San Bruno Ave). His truck was too big to get under the rail bridge, could not back up, and then the southbound train came. Just enough time to leap out and run!
Freemotorist March 6, 2013 at 06:38 pm
Caltrain is outdated, dangerous at-grade, and a disjointed rail system in the region that ought to be phased out to be replaced by BART over the next 10 years...in time for 2022, BART's 50th birthday, perhaps. When BART circles the Bay to compete effectively with "cars" in a one-seat transit solution to get to Bay Area major Universities, downtowns, Sports and event venues, airports and interregional transit hubs, and the burgeoning literally millions of square footage of NEW construction in the Peninsula that sucks motorists over from the East Bay with no transfer-less high capacity, safe, redundant transit option (such as motorists have with I80-I680-I280 and I80 I880-US101 1-seat loops around the Bay. Electrified, grade-separated, fast, sleek, BART is planned to S.C. Univ now...leaving only 28 miles to study, fund, build to close the BARTAROUNDTHEBAY (my blog) (BAB) gap over time. The ~$5Billion planned to perfume the Caltrain pig needs to be redirected to BART BAB. Ironically, some Peninsula cities suffer more Caltrain deaths than illegal gun use deaths, in fact, 190 dead since 1/1/1995, 30 since 1/1/2011, 12 last year, and 1 already this year, per Bay News sources. Why is this slaughter, including easy suicides, tolerated with this incredibly dangerous outdated train? Cause we, in Silicon Valley, land of "Creative Destruction" and Innovation have "already done it (Caltrain passenger rail) this way" since 1863 trackway. Let's fight for BAB (with or w/o HSR).
Kathryn Markham April 9, 2013 at 03:37 am
Chris- have you ever had an accident-- skiing, biking, driving? Many accidents could be prevented, but they happen nonetheless. You may find yourself someday in a grade level train crossing and think more kindly about those that are hit.

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