Tourist sugar train back on track a day after crash and derailment

A former sugar train converted to carry tourists at an old sugar factory in Changhua County is back in operation after a collision and derailment at a level crossing yesterday, June 25.

The Xihu Sugar Factory train, carrying 270 passengers was hit by a truck at around 1:30 pm yesterday afternoon, derailing the locomotive and the first two carriages, and causing the locomotive to plunge off a bridge into a drainage ditch.

Fortunately, the passengers and driver of the train were not injured. The driver of the truck reported feeling dizzy and went to the hospital for a medical examination, but had no obvious trauma.

The sugar factory had expected repairs to take at least two days, but the track was fixed this morning, and a spare locomotive allowed the 50 minute train tour to resume at around 1:00 pm this afternoon.

According to reports, the train was travelling at around 10 kilometers per hour at the time of the accident. The train driver had sounded the horn for a full 12 seconds as it approached the crossing, but the driver of the truck did not heed the horn, nor the flashing lights at the level crossing.

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