LOS ANGELES, Sept. 21 A commuter train in Los Angeles struck a car Friday morning, injuring the driver and at least five others.
The car, a Toyota, burst into flames, police said. The fire destroyed the car and did significant damage to the Gold Line train.
Sheriff's Lt. Ron Kegel said that the driver ignored signal lights and drove around the barrier that had come down across the road with the train's approach. He said that trains in the area usually go about 20 mph.
"The train is several tons. Just the inertia of going even 20 mph, it's going to take some distance before that train can stop," Kegel said. "She didn't afford the operator of the train enough time to stop it."
About 20 people were on board the train at the time. Police were trying to locate any who left the crash scene without being interviewed.
In a similar crash on Sept. 7, a train hit a pickup truck, injuring seven people.
The Gold Line, which opened in 2003, is a 14-mile route between Pasadena and Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The line carries about 20,000 riders every day.
Copyright 2007 by UPI
