A tractor-trailer carrying plastic resin was struck by a train at the intersection of Alabama State Highway 14 and County Road 55 at approximately 5 p.m.
There were no injuries, and the truck's cargo is not harmful to the environment, said Auburn fire department battalion chief Joe Lovvorn.
The mile-and-a-half-long CSX train could not have stopped, Lovvorn said.
"The train almost stopped," Lovvorn said. "They had a minor impact--it did flip the truck over."
Darin Thurmon, the driver of the Bulkmatic Transportation truck, said he was not stuck on the tracks.
"I'm at the stop sign trying to get out into traffic," Thurmon said. "Of course, traffic's coming both directions. When I looked up, I heard the train blowing its horn, so I was steady, trying to ease out into traffic to get out there, but people just wouldn't stop. I'm surprised there's no crossing guard, no lights, no warning device letting somebody know there's a train coming."
Thurmon said people asked him why he didn't just back up or pull out into traffic.
"Well, I couldn't back up because there was a car behind me. I could have easily hurt them as big as this thing is," Thurmon said. "I couldn't go out into traffic because-- what'll happen in traffic? You know, a major accident--there could be a fatality or fatalities. So, I just took the hit."
Thurmon said he was glad no one was injured.
"My first instinct was to push out, but then I thought about that for a second, and I was like, 'No, don't push out--'cause you gon' kill somebody--just take the hit," Thurmon said. "So that's what I did. I just took the hit."
Lovvorn said CSX is handling the cleanup.
"They have personnel responding from Montgomery and the surrounding area," Lovvorn said.
Bob Walters, a resident of nearby Benwood Circle, said he has seen about a dozen accidents involving trains along Highway 14 in 20 years.
"I've seen four trucks--tractor trailers--trying to get across these tracks, and they get up over the tracks, and then the trailer will hang," Walters said. "And the train come along and wiped them off."
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