A scrap metal truck driver was killed and three train passengers slightly injured when an Amtrak train carrying 89 people slammed into a tractor-trailer. The Amtrak Silver Star was heading into Tampa at a speed of about 20 mph, when it collided with the truck at an industrial rail crossing.

According to reports, the truck was attempting to back up but got stuck on the tracks. The driver, 45-year-old Henry Montgomery, was on his way to swap containers. He died at the scene. The truck and its load caught fire and were destroyed. Nobody aboard the train was seriously hurt.

Local fire and rescue authorities reported that the warning lights and crossing barriers were working at the time of the incident.

It gets said a lot, but it bears repeating: Any time is train time. Never maneuver around or across a track for any reason. Cross tracks only at designated crossing points. Make sure to check all sets of tracks in both directions and cross steadily and smoothly. If traffic ahead forces you to stop, stop at least 10 feet from the tracks. Never try to beat a train across the tracks, and never assume that you have time to get across after the warning lights start flashing.

Source: The Saint Petersburg Times, Ft Petersurg, November 9, 2006