[Infographic+Audio]: Steam train collides with truck
An eyewitness said the driver of the truck accidentally took his foot off the brake pedal at the railway crossing.
With a distinctive sound; Susan the steam train announced her return to Magaliesburg – only to be halted from reaching her destination because of an unfortunate accident.
Keith Groenewald, a local photographer, was on the scene in seconds as his studio is within metres from where the train and a truck collided; right at the railway entrance of the small town on the R24 Koster Road.
As an avid lover of the train he immediately rushed over to take pictures of her passing through, only to find that an accident occurred.
Mike Dyke from Reefsteamers, the company that operates the train from Johannesburg said he was two coaches behind the locomotive when he heard a distant sound coming from the front.
“The passengers didn’t really know about the accident until we actually stopped the train.”
He said what seemed to have happened is the driver of the truck stopped at the railway crossing where he accidentally took his foot off the brake pedal causing him to land in front of the train.
Groenewald admitted that some residents are calling for a boom style level crossing to be installed as accidents of this nature are a regular occurrence.
Reefsteamer’s steam train collided with a truck on the R24 Koster Road
“I am just glad that no one got seriously injured during this incident.”
Dyke said there was a delay of about 30 minutes in their normal schedule.
“The accident had no affect on the rest of the day’s activities.”
Visitors to Magaliesburg were then treated to a fun-filled day with activities and stalls at the Magalies Market while others could relax next to the Blauwbank river with a picnic.
Dyke said that the train sustained minor damage and will be repaired in due course.
The same, however, can not be said about the truck.
“The truck came off second best.”
