Farm Sprayer Collides With Train Near Remsen, Farmer Critically Hurt
Date posted - June 13, 2012
Remsen, Iowa — A piece of farm equipment collided with a train last night (6/12) near Remsen. The farmer was critically hurt and airlifted to a Sioux City hospital.
Thirty-year-old David Keffeler of Remsen was operating a John Deere self-propelled sprayer. He approached a railroad crossing and did not see a westbound Canadian National train. The vehicles collided, and Keffeler was ejected from the sprayer. The train applied its emergency brakes prior to impact in order to slow the train.
The sprayer was listed as a total loss valued at $265,000. The train sustained over $10,000 in damage to the locomotive.
The railroad crossing was not equipped with warning lights or a cross arm, and witnesses to the accident believe trees along the track may have obstructed Keffler’s view of the coming train. The engineer of the train was not injured.
6 Responses to “Farm Sprayer Collides With Train Near Remsen, Farmer Critically Hurt”
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Back to:Farm Sprayer Collides With Train Near Remsen, Farmer Critically Hurt
Stop, Look, and Listen must not be in the driver’s ed books anymore!
My heart goes out to this family. There were obviously many factors why the farmer did not see the train. Tractors are noisy…he probably couldn’t hear the train even if it did blow its whistle.
all do respect to the farmer who was critically injured but how can you not see or hear a train?
It does happen. It sounds like some trees may have obscured the view. And sometimes you just get “in the zone” doing your job.
A family member of mine was driving a truck and was struck by a train. There was even a feed truck waiting for the train on the other side of the tracks. My family member heard a horn but thought it was the feed truck driver honking “hello”. It could have been much worse. All that happened in this case was the back of the truck was destroyed. Its’ a good thing he wasn’t going just a bit slower.
My heart goes out to this guy and his family. I hope he makes it.
It also makes a difference if the track is busy or not. People are more likely to stop at a crossing they know is busy. If they almost never see any action, people start ignoring them . . . often until it’s too late.
anyone know how the guy is doing?