GRAND BAY, Ala. — A train on Amtrak’s Mardi Gras service line traveling from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans collided with a semi truck on Sunday morning, according to Amtrak officials and reporting from multiple news outlets.
According to WWL-TV, the Amtrak train No. 23 was carrying 48 passengers when the crash happened around 7:20 a.m. on “CSX tracks south of Mobile,” a release said. No passengers were hurt, but several crew members were injured and treated at the scene.
Officials reportedly said riders were given snacks and water on board while the situation was handled. The train later returned to Mobile, where riders boarded alternate transportation to New Orleans.
Amtrak is working with local authorities to investigate the crash.
“Preventing incidents and fatalities on the railroad is a priority for Amtrak. According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in America, and railroad-highway grade crossing incidents are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in America.”
Reports say that there have been four fatal crashes involving the Mardi Gras line since it started running last year.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
