On November 4, 2024, about 11:00 a.m. local time, a BNSF Railway (BNSF) maintenance-of-way (MOW) employee driving a welding truck was fatally struck by a BNSF freight train as the welding truck was crossing a private highway-railroad grade crossing (grade crossing) at milepost 128.1 near New Rockford, North Dakota.[1] Another BNSF MOW employee who was on the passenger side of the welding truck was injured, transported to a nearby hospital, and released. BNSF estimated damages to equipment to be about $250,000. At the time of the accident, visibility conditions were daylight but cloudy with about 4 miles visibility; the weather was 36°F with no precipitation but the ground was wet and soggy.
(a) All times in this report are local. (b) Visit
ntsb.gov to find additional information in the
public docket for this NTSB accident investigation (case number RRD25FR003). Use the
CAROL Query to search safety recommendations and investigations. (c) A welding truck is a service truck with a hydraulic system and storage space for construction and maintenance equipment used for welding.
We determined that the probable cause of the accident was the welding team’s failure to detect the approaching BNSF Railway freight train as they were backing the welding truck over the private highway-railroad grade crossing.
Contributing to the accident was the welding team’s noncompliance with BNSF Railway’s Safety Rule S-12.8, which requires positioning a person on the ground to guide the movement. Further contributing to the accident was the inadequate understanding of BNSF Railway’s Safety Rule S-12.8 by BNSF Railway employees.
