Train Derails After Striking Tractor-Trailer

A freight train has collided with a tractor-trailer and derailed at a railroad crossing in Auburn, Maine.

Police say a preliminary investigation has revealed that 62-year-old Auburn resident Darren Whaley ignored the crossing's warning system and tried to cross the tracks ahead of the train on Monday.

Police say the St. Lawrence and Atlantic train crashed into the tractor-trailer, which overturned, spilling its load of crushed rock. The train's engine derailed, while the 33 rail cars it was hauling stayed upright on the tracks.

Whaley was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and was cited for Failure to Stop for a Railroad Warning Device. There were no other injuries reported.

The truck is owned by Auburn Concrete and is considered a total loss. The train engine sustained slight damage.