An on-board camera has shown that the garbage truck that was struck by an Amtrak special on Jan. 31, had entered a grade crossing after the crossing gates had gone down.
The National Transportation Safety Board said this week that the forward-facing camera in the lead locomotive showed that as the crossing came into view, the gates were down and the garbage truck was on the tracks at the grade crossing.
The NTSB said that witnesses to the crash reported the truck had entered the crossing after the gates were down at the crossing near Crozet, Virginia.
The special was carrying Republican members of Congress to an annual political retreat at the Greenbrier resort hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
A passenger in the truck was killed and another suffered serious injuries. The truck driver came away with minor injuries.
Three Amtrak crew members and three passengers also suffered minor injuries.
The preliminary NTSB report said that the crossing has advance warning signs and pavement markings on its approach. It is equipped with crossbuck signs, warning lights, bells and gates.
The collision caused the front axle of the lead P42DC locomotive to derail, although it remained upright.
The NTSB will later release a finding of probable cause and issue safety recommendations.
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