Driver charged in train, truck crash

WESTMINSTER, Md. - No one was hurt when a tractor trailer and a train collided Monday morning in Westminster.

It happened just before 11 a.m. at the Hahn Road railroad crossing just north of the Route 27 intersection.

Police say the truck that was pulling a 53' trailer, crossed the tracks into the path of the northbound train. The train then hit the back of the trailer, crushing the nearly empty trailer and pushing it from the tracks before stopping about 300 feet down track.

Police have charged 63-year-old Thomas Taylor of Biglerville, Pa with several traffic violations including negligent driving and failing to stop at a railroad crossing. Maryland State Police also charged Taylor with failing to keel his driver log book current and having no records of his vehicle operations.

The investigation has revealed the flashing railroad crossing signals were operating at the time of the collision, and that the train's engineer had sounded the train's whistle prior to the crossing.

Alcohol is not considered a factor in the cause of this collision. Taylor was released on citations pending trial.

Police say Hahn Road was reopened just after 3:00 p.m.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the Carroll County Sheriff's Office at 410-386-2900.