Commuter Rail Train Hits Truck Stuck On Snowy Tracks In Braintree

An MBTA commuter rail train broadsided an 18-wheeler stuck in the snow in Braintree Wednesday afternoon, just moments after the driver jumped out of the cab.

Capt. Edward Bulger of the Braintree Fire Department said the truck got stuck on the tracks after pulling out of a Frito-Lay warehouse.

“He got stuck in the snow, as a result of that the wheels were spinning,” Bulger said.

The Kingston/Plymouth line train came smashing into the truck's side shortly after the vehicle stopped, leaving it parallel to the tracks some 15 feet away.

Braintree resident Bill Bradford said he was driving behind the truck before the accident.

“All of a sudden the railroad crossing gates go down, and I’m standing right here ... and I’m seeing the train coming around the bend,” Bradford said.

He said the train “must have been 50 yards [away] and [the driver] finally jumped out of the cab.”

Bulger said as many as five train passengers were treated for minor injuries.

The train was carrying 61 passengers at the time of the accident, officials said.

Mac Daniel, a spokesman for Keolis, which operates and maintains the MBTA's commuter rail system, said delays on the entire Kingston/Plymouth line could be expected throughout the day.

Transit workers however were able to clear the tracks ahead of rush hour traffic, which included Patriots fans returning from Wednesday’s Super Bowl parade in Boston.

Officials said workers would wait until after rush hour to pull the truck from the snow.