Major Collision Reported on FM 1692 Between Truck and Train

A major collision involving a train and white single cab Chevrolet Silverado pickup occurred at the railroad crossing on F.M. 1692 near Harriett Road just north of U.S. 67 north, on the way to Miles. 

The driver of the vehicle, a female, is reported to have broken legs, and Airmed 1 has been dispatched to the scene. 

TXDPS, Tom Green County Sheriff's Deputies, a San Angelo Fire Department pumper truck and Quail Valley VFD are on scene.

Initial reports stated there were two occupants of the vehicle, one of which was fatally injured, the second with broken legs. First responders have confirmed there was only one occupant in the vehicle that was injured, however conscious. 'She will survive,' they said.

F.M. 1692 is blocked to traffic heading both ways.

Update 6:29 p.m.

A witness on scene, Deborah Soslik of Munday, Texas, whose parents own the land at Harriett and Tennyson (F.M.1692), said she and her husband had come to check the water in a tank on the property when they heard the train hit something. 

"We were looking at the tank...it's dry, but we were looking at it and when we were coming back, my husband asked me, 'Did y'all ever hear the train when you were a kid?'...he had gone out to open the gates and we heard the train...and then--I didn't hear anything, but he said he thought he heard it hit something.

"I still didn't think anything about it, but we got out to Harriet Road and we saw a guy standing here with a walkie talkie. Bobby (her husband) said he heard somebody screaming. So we looked and that's when we saw the truck...We ran over here...I'm a nurse practitioner, and that's when I saw her."

Solsik says the woman was outside of the truck when she found her. "All she kept talking about was her legs hurt."

Solsik, her husband and her family then tended to the girl and spoke with her, and report that she was alert. She is a nursing student from ASU, Solsik said. The girl then gave Solsik her grandfather's phone number, and the family has responded to the scene.

Solsik says there are no gates in front of the tracks. 

This story will be updated as information becomes available. 

Update 7:21 p.m.

DPS troopers have completed their investigation at the scene. The female was driving the Chevrolet Silverado south on FM 1692 when she was struck by the train. DPS troopers on the scene said that no citations will be issued and that their assumption is that the Chevy driver was traveling at the speed limit. DPS will release a final report sometime tomorrow.

Texas Pacifico Railroad spokeswoman Elizabeth Grindstaff said that the crash occurred at the 61.4 mile post, counted from Coleman. The four-engine propelled train was headed southwest to the railyard in San Angelo.

Grindstaff said that the speed limit for the trains along this portion of the rail line is 25 m.p.h. The train was hauling frac sand for the oil field, she said. "Usually trains configured like this are pulling 75-80 cars, but we'll get a complete count with the official accident report," Grindstaff said.

Grindstaff said that Texas Pacifico is very strict about safety and safety proceduires. She said that all crossings of the rail line meet federally enforced requirements in regards to signalling and crossing guards.

"Of course any railroad is concerned about safety. With the frequency of the train schedule increasing, conflict comes. Our goal is to stay in compliance with all safety laws and work with any entity that wants to heighten them," she said.

Grindsraff said that Texas Pacifico has 390 of miles track, of which 250 is the very active.

Grindstaff said that she was relieved that there was no fatality and said that their entire team at Texas Pacifico sends their thoughts and prayers to the driver of the white pickup and her family.

The DPS released the investigation report. Details and name of the victim here.