In the Perm region, a freight train collided with a truck at an intersection, resulting in a damaged pole and severed power cables. Telegram channel 112 reported the incident, noting that the collision occurred at the Pike Lake crossing. The truck halted on the tracks, and the locomotive operator could not bring the train to a stop in time. The freight train, moving at full speed, struck the side of the truck, pulling it along the rails, bringing down a utility pole and snapping electrical lines. The truck was reduced to scrap metal as a result of the impact.
No injuries were reported from the accident. However, the incident caused a three-hour delay to Moscow-Barnaul train number 96, inconveniencing passengers and disrupting the timetable.
The event has prompted discussions from Russian Railways about tightening accountability for drivers involved in rail crossings. Proposals were submitted to the government, seeking criminal liability for drivers in the event of a collision with a train, regardless of the outcome. In addition, Russian Railways suggested increasing the severity of penalties for railway line violations, raising the minimum deprivation of rights to six months, the maximum to one year, and extending up to two years for repeated violations.
This incident follows earlier reports of another serious crash involving a drunk driver in Yekaterinburg, underscoring ongoing safety concerns on Russia’s rail network. The authorities are taking steps to reduce similar incidents by strengthening enforcement and penalties for those who endanger railway operations.