Freight train hits cargo truck near Pulaski Highway

A CSX freight train collided with a commercial truck at a private rail crossing in Rosedale, Maryland, on Thursday morning, highlighting persistent safety risks for the trucking industry at unregulated intersections. The incident occurred at Schaefers Lane, a crossing equipped only with warning signs rather than active gates or lights, resulting in the truck being flipped into a ditch. While the driver escaped without injury, the crash underscores the infrastructure challenges at private crossings where commercial vehicles frequently interact with heavy rail traffic.

The collision took place at approximately 7:30 a.m. when a CSX freight train struck a cargo truck, identified by witnesses as a Cintas van, at the Schaefers Lane crossing near Pulaski Highway. According to dash cam footage and witness testimony from Greg Komondor, the truck was stopped at a one-lane intersection but was positioned too close to the tracks as the train approached. The train caught the front of the vehicle, causing it to flip over into a nearby ditch. Baltimore County Fire Department officials confirmed that the driver was able to climb out of the wreckage unassisted and declined transport to the hospital after a medical evaluation.

This specific 1.8-mile stretch of track in Rosedale has a documented history of safety issues, with federal accident records showing 44 collisions involving CSX trains since 1975. The Schaefers Lane crossing alone has been the site of 12 accidents, while other nearby private crossings such as Lake Drive and Todds Lane have recorded 13 and 10 collisions, respectively. Industry observers and witnesses noted that these private crossings are particularly dangerous because they lack the automated gates and warning lights found at public crossings, often leaving drivers to judge the speed and distance of oncoming trains based solely on whistle blasts and stationary signs.

In response to the accident, CSX issued a statement noting that safety improvements at private crossings are complicated by the fact that they are owned and maintained in coordination with private property owners. The rail company indicated it is currently collaborating with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Baltimore County to evaluate safety enhancements, including the possibility of closing or consolidating certain high-risk crossings. To facilitate these upgrades, MDOT has obtained a $3.7 million federal grant dedicated to implementing short- and long-term safety measures at private rail intersections like the one involved in Thursday's crash.