Canadian Pacific employees survey the damage to a wrecked car resting by a level crossing in Woodstock after it was struck by an eastbound freight train - 24 Feb 2013 Craig Glover.

24 February 2013

Man Airlifted to Hospital After Car Strikes Freight Train in Woodstock

Woodstock Ontario - An elderly man is lucky to be alive after his car slammed into a moving freight train Sunday morning.
 
A vehicle traveling south on Oxford Road 4 struck a CP Rail train travelling east at 10:15 a.m., said CP Rail spokesman Kevin Hrysak.
 
The impact of the crash totalled the car and sent it careening off the road.
 
The 88-year-old driver was extracted from the wreckage and airlifted to Victoria Hospital in London with non-life threatening injuries.
 
"He's a lucky man," said Woodstock police Sgt. Marvin Massecar. "He drove into the side of the train. We don't know why. It's still under investigation."
 
The railway crossing has lights and crossbucks, both of which were fully functional at the time of the crash, Hrysak said.
 
There is no barrier at the crossing.
 
The train tracks lie at the bottom of a small hill on Oxford Road 4.
 
CP halted the train for about two hours, Hrysak said, adding that collisions have an impact on CP operations but in this case "it was minimal."
 
The crossing was closed for hours while CP maintenance staff cleaned up debris from the crash.
 
The engineers on the train weren't injured, police said.
 
Blair McBride.

Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada