UPDATE- Rep. Lewis is grateful for the care of the clinical staff at UVA Medical Ctr in Charlottesville. He’s been discharged & traveled onto the GOP retreat, where he is recovering from a concussion. He looks forward to participating in the retreat as much as he is able. #MN02
— Jason Lewis (@RepJasonLewis) January 31, 2018
5 PM UPDATE: WASHINGTON (AP) — A man who lives near the railroad crossing where a train carrying Republican lawmakers struck a garbage truck says the crossing arms have not been working correctly.
Benny Layne said the truck landed on his property Wednesday after it collided with the Amtrak train near Crozet, Virginia.
Layne told The Associated Press that he has recently seen lines of cars stopped at the crossing, with the crossing arms lowered even though no train was approaching. He said motorists would get out of their cars to help guide other motorists around the malfunctioning arms so they could cross the tracks.
Layne says he has seen the arms stay down for hours. He also says he saw a man examining the crossing arms this week.
CSX Transportation owns the tracks where the crash occurred. Buckingham Branch Railroad leases the tracks and is responsible for maintenance, signaling and traffic dispatching on the line.
A spokeswoman for Buckingham said she was not aware of any problems with equipment at the crossing but referred questions to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash.
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2/2 This is Rep. Lewis’ staff– Due to the impact of the train collision and as per standard concussion protocol, Rep. Lewis is going to be checked out at a local hospital. #MN02
— Jason Lewis (@RepJasonLewis) January 31, 2018
3:20 PM UPDATE: WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he has spoken to House Speaker Paul Ryan after a train carrying Republican lawmakers to a retreat hit a truck on the tracks in Virginia.
The president says in the Oval Office that the lawmakers are “doing pretty good” and are “proceeding with their conference.” Trump says he was told “it was a pretty rough hit.”
The White House says one person was killed and another was seriously injured after the chartered train struck a garbage truck.
Trump is planning to address the Republican lawmakers Thursday at the conference at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
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3:10 PM UPDATE: ATLANTA (AP) – Seven Georgia members of Congress were on board a train that crashed on its way to a GOP retreat in West Virginia, but none of the state’s politicians suffered any serious injuries during the fatal wreck.
The Associated Press has confirmed that Reps. Rick Allen, Buddy Carter, Drew Ferguson, Karen Handel, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk and Austin Scott were all on the chartered train when it hit a garbage truck Wednesday morning in central Virginia. The state’s other three GOP congressmen were not on board, nor were Sens. Johnny Isakson or David Perdue.
The White House says one person was killed and one person seriously injured due to the collision.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says there are no serious injuries among members of Congress or congressional staff.
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2:30 PM UPDATE: WASHINGTON (AP) — Staff members say Rep. Jason Lewis of Minnesota has been taken to a hospital after being injured in a train accident in Virginia.
Members of his staff tweeted that the first-term congressman was being checked for a possible concussion after the Wednesday crash.
Officials say the train was carrying Republican lawmakers from Washington to a retreat in West Virginia when it hit a truck on the tracks near Crozet, Virginia.
The White House is confirming one fatality and one serious injury after the chartered train hit a garbage truck.
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2 PM UPDATE: WASHINGTON (AP) — Amtrak says two crew members and two passengers have been taken to a hospital with minor injuries after a train crash in Virginia.
Amtrak spokeswoman Beth K. Toll says the four were injured when the train hit a truck on the tracks Wednesday morning near Crozet, Virginia.
Police and a local hospital have given differing figures, but the reason for the discrepancies wasn’t immediately clear.
The train was carrying Republican lawmakers to a conference at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
The accident happened at an intersection that crosses the tracks at the top of a hill where visibility is limited. There is a train arm at the crossing.
Crozet is a small town west of Charlottesville, which is home to the University of Virginia.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A chartered train carrying dozens of GOP lawmakers to a Republican retreat in West Virginia struck a garbage truck south of Charlottesville, Virginia on Wednesday, lawmakers said.
No lawmakers were believed injured in the accident.
“We’re fine, but our train hit a garbage truck. Members with medical training are assisting the drivers of the truck,” Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., wrote on Twitter.
A GOP aide said the train is partially derailed.
Oklahoma GOP Rep. Tom Cole says a person on the truck may have been seriously injured..
Cole said he’s not aware of any injuries on the train. A GOP aide speaking on condition of anonymity says no lawmakers were injured.
Cole said he believes the accident occurred south of Charlottesville, Virginia. The train was en route to the Greenbrier resort in White Sulfur Springs for a three-day issues retreat featuring appearances by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
We’re fine, but our train hit a garbage truck. Members with medical training are assisting the drivers of the truck. pic.twitter.com/0I9jOwHTmb
— Rep. Greg Walden (@repgregwalden) January 31, 2018
Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala., tweeted: “The train carrying GOP members to our retreat had a collision, but Rebecca and I are both okay. Security and doctors on board are helping secure the scene and treat injuries.”
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Photo Rep Greg Walden/Twitter
