“It’s just a nightmare,” said Mike Spencer, who farms near where the Amtrak train derailed in Mendon, Missouri. “I look at this and I just can’t believe it.”Spencer said the trains go up to 90 mph on the track. Three people were killed when the train hit a dump truck at a crossing and derailed.”This is a real tragedy. This is sad. My heart goes out to the family. It just tears me up. It really does,” Spencer said.He said he grew up here and has been concerned something like this might happen because he was almost hit one time. He said it’s hard to see the trains when they come.”Then lean forward up against the glass to be able to look back because the railroad sits at an angle,” Spencer said.The crossing is made of rock. There’s a steep incline that raises about 6 feet as you approach the tracks. There are no gates to warn a train is coming.”I was afraid this was going to happen to somebody that was not really familiar with the crossing and how to approach it,” Spencer said.He said his heart goes out to the families of the people affected and he hopes it never happens again.Spencer said he’s worked with the county commissioners to make some changes at this and a couple other intersections. He was hopeful that changes were going to happen in 2021 but no safety improvements were made.Video: Passenger captures aftermath of train derailment
“It’s just a nightmare,” said Mike Spencer, who farms near where the Amtrak train derailed in Mendon, Missouri. “I look at this and I just can’t believe it.”
Spencer said the trains go up to 90 mph on the track. Three people were killed when the train hit a dump truck at a crossing and derailed.
“This is a real tragedy. This is sad. My heart goes out to the family. It just tears me up. It really does,” Spencer said.
He said he grew up here and has been concerned something like this might happen because he was almost hit one time. He said it’s hard to see the trains when they come.
“Then lean forward up against the glass to be able to look back because the railroad sits at an angle,” Spencer said.
The crossing is made of rock. There’s a steep incline that raises about 6 feet as you approach the tracks. There are no gates to warn a train is coming.
“I was afraid this was going to happen to somebody that was not really familiar with the crossing and how to approach it,” Spencer said.
He said his heart goes out to the families of the people affected and he hopes it never happens again.
Spencer said he’s worked with the county commissioners to make some changes at this and a couple other intersections. He was hopeful that changes were going to happen in 2021 but no safety improvements were made.
Video: Passenger captures aftermath of train derailment
