Report: Swerving caused trailer and backhoe to tip

Published 9:15 am Friday, May 1, 2009

A Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office report completed Thursday has concluded that an Iowa, Central & Eastern Railroad train did not clip the trailer being pulled Wednesday east of Hayward by a flatbed Ford truck belonging to Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services.

Swerving to avoid lowering stop arms is what caused the trailer and its load, a John Deere backhoe, to topple into the ditch. The driver of the truck was David Adams. He was cited with a railroad crossing violation.

No one was injured. The incident happened at the IC&E tracks two miles east of Hayward shortly after 1 p.m.

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In the report, Adams told the deputy that as he headed westbound on Freeborn County Road 46 the stop arms came down before he could slow and he swerved into the eastbound lane to miss striking the arm. He said in the report the backhoe on the trailer struck the lowering eastbound stop arm and he swerved back into the westbound lane. That’s when the trailer tipped into the north ditch. He stopped. The truck wasn’t damaged. The approaching train was a two-engine train with no freight.

Adams said the train came through the crossing after he passed.

The report also shares the observations of the engineer and conductor.

IC&E engineer Tom Raica told the deputy the train was operating at 38 or 40 mph heading westbound toward Hayward. He said he saw a dairy truck going west followed by two trucks pulling trailers.

He said as all three neared the crossing the lights and arms started to operate. In the report, Raica said, “it appeared to him that all three vehicles were going to try and beat him to the crossing.”

The first two made it just as the arms began operating, Raica said in the report. The third truck swerved to miss the stop arms but hit the eastbound-lane arm and the trailer tipped.

The report said Raica’s explanation matches the conductor’s.

Allen’s Tow ’N Travel uprighted the trailer and backhoe.

The scene was cleared by 2:26 p.m.

Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services President Jim Krueger offered a statement: “Safety is the utmost imporatance at Freeborn-Mower. We are fortunate no one was injured, and we are investigating the matter.”

About Tim Engstrom

Tim Engstrom is the editor of the Albert Lea Tribune. He resides in Albert Lea with his wife, two sons and dog.

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