The man either ignored or did not notice the crossing arm blocking Knik Goose Bay Road near the Parks Highway when he drove in front of the freight train, said railroad spokesman Tim Sullivan. According to Wasilla police, Thomas Thomas was behind the wheel of a red Cadillac destroyed by the northbound train.
"The report from our crew is the gates were down, lights were flashing, they blew their horn, and the car failed to stop and went under the gate," Sullivan said.
The train clipped the back of the Cadillac, dragging it into the mast of a crossing signal, Sullivan said. The car was totaled and damage to the signal was estimated at about $10,000, he said.
Neither Thomas nor the three-person crew on the train reported any injuries, though medics transported Thomas to a Wasilla hospital as a precaution, Sullivan said.
Both the Wasilla Police Department and the Alaska Railroad continue to investigate the wreck. Police say alcohol may have been a factor.
Reach Casey Grove at casey.grove@adn.com or 257-4589.
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