Salem, Ore. — J.R. Simplot Co. has opened an investigation into how one of its fertilizer trucks ended up colliding with a Portland Western Freight Train Friday morning, March 8, after picking up a load of ammonium sulfate here. The driver, identified as Alan Parks, was not seriously injured and was treated and released the same day at Salem Hospital. “It was pretty much that the truck failed to yield the right of way to the train,” Don Thompson of the Marion County sheriff’s office told Green Markets. “The location is technically on private property belonging to Marion Ag Service Inc. He had finished loading 35 tons of ammonium sulfate pellets, pulled forward, and turned left across the track, which is not controlled by any crossing signal. So it’s up to the driver to yield to any oncoming train. The train struck the rig and turned it on its side.” Simplot SoilBuilders officials at Halsey said that less than 10 pounds got spilled, so the cleanup was pretty easy, and what’s left of the truck and trailers was uprighted and moved from the scene. Portland Western is doing its own internal investigation.
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