US: Amtrak train collides with truck, no injuries

Chicago, June 6: An Amtrak train collided with a truck on Friday in the US town of Wilmington, Illinois, about 96 km from here, media reported on Saturday.

Amtrak spokesman Craig Schulz told Xinhua news agency over phone that there were no serious injuries to passengers or crew, but did not have any information on the driver of the truck.

No official information was available about the driver of the truck, but media reports quoted witnesses as saying that he walked away from the truck after the accident.

The train in question was on the Texas Eagle Service route from San Antonio to Chicago, it was designated train 22.

According to Amtrak, the 203 passengers on board were taken to a local high school after the train lost power. Schulz said the train is currently being held in that location for an investigation.

The infrastructure in the area is owned by the US rail company Union Pacific Railroad, which is the largest in the US and is serviced by more than 50,000 employees, according to the Union Pacific website.

The passengers will be on their way to Chicago soon, said Amtrak.

"As soon as the train and the track are released and we are approved to operate through, the passengers will be placed on the train and taken to Chicago," said Schulz.

"If we can get buses to them in time, and we can do that first, then we may very well put them on buses and put them to Chicago."

IANS