MONTEREY, Calif. – A picturesque rail stretch through Elkhorn Slough turned deadly Saturday afternoon when an Amtrak train slammed into a small pickup truck at a crossing at the entrance to a popular slough park.
A male and female in the truck died instantly when the truck was hit by the southbound passenger train, which was going about 50 mph, California Highway Patrol officers said.
The identities of the victims weren’t immediately known.
The badly crumpled wreckage of the truck came to rest about 75 yards south of the Kirby Park entrance, below the elevated train track that straddles an arm of the huge estuary east of Moss Landing.
The train, which was carrying 150 passengers, was delayed for about 90 minutes after the 1:15 p.m. collision.
A witness told officers that the truck was moving through the crossing when the train collided with it, said CHP Sgt. Wayne Disalvo.
He said it wasn’t clear whether the driver of the truck was trying to beat the train at the crossing or didn’t see it. He said he didn’t know if alcohol was involved. Some alcohol containers were thrown from the truck, but they could have been old, he said.
“We’re looking at several scenarios,” he said.
The crossing leads into the parking lot at Kirby Park, a popular day park with hiking trails and a small boat launch.