An Alaska Railroad train suffered minor damage after railroad officials say it struck an all-terrain vehicle last week on a bridge over the Talkeetna River, which has become a focal point for locals' concerns over access to remote areas.
A little after noon on Wednesday, Talkeetna residents heard a longer-than-usual train horn after the train crew stopped due to the collision. The ATV’s driver had bailed off the vehicle just before the incident and the ATV was knocked clear of the tracks.
Alaska Railroad spokesperson Meghan Clemens said the ATV was struck by a passenger train headed south from Healy to Whittier. She said the train crew reported no injuries, but there was minor damage to the train at the point of impact. The ATV driver left the scene prior to Railroad Police and Security officers arriving about one hour later. The train was able to safely continue service.
Clemens said that since railroad workers completed the replacement of the Trainman’s Walk adjacent to the bridge last year, which was designed to keep larger ATVs from reaching the nearby community of Chase, residents have complained that the walk is too narrow. It was meant to duplicate the previous 47-inch-wide walkway alongside the bridge.
Railroad staff had initiated a change order to widen the walkway on May 20, just a day prior to the collision. Clemens said railroad staff expect a widened walkway to be completed next month.
Clemens said it’s never safe to trespass on railroad tracks because the trains may run at all hours year-round. She said she’s thankful the incident didn’t result in a worst-case scenario of serious injury or death.
The identity of the ATV driver was unknown last week. Railroad Police and Security are investigating the incident.