Road Reopened, Driver Charged Following Morning Crash

A 63-year-old Pennsylvania man has been charged with negligent driving and other offense following a morning collision in Westminster involving the tractor-trailer he was operating and an oncoming train. There were no reported injuries.

Sheriff’s deputies have charged Thomas E. Taylor, of Biglerville, PA, with negligent driving, failing to stop at a railroad crossing and other driver-related offenses.

Hahn Road between Route 27 and Woodward Road has been reopened after having been closed until 3 p.m. on Monday.

Taylor's vehicle, a 2003 Mack Tractor pulling a 53-foot trailer, was traveling east along Hahn Road just before 11 a.m., when it crossed the tracks into the path of an oncoming train that was traveling north, according to police reports. The train rammed the back of the trailer, crushing the backside of the nearly empty container and pushing it from the tracks before stopping approximately 300 feet down the track. 

Police say alcohol is not considered to be a factor in the collision.

The investigation revealed that the flashing railroad crossing signals were operating at the time of the collision, and that the train’s engineer had sounded the train’s whistle prior to the crossing, the police press release stated. 

Taylor has also been charged with failing to keep his driver log book current and with having no records of his vehicle operations for the past seven days. According to the release, Taylor has been released on citations pending trial.  

Members of the Maryland State Police, Maryland State Highway Administration, and Carroll County Public Works Department worked to redirect traffic during the investigation and clean-up. 

Anyone with information about the accident, or who may have witnessed the collision, is asked to contact Deputy Brandon Holland of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office at 410-386-2900, or bholland@ccg.carr.org.