Shock accident in Willendorf: Train collides with a truck to a level crossing!

On January 7, 2025, a collision between a railway set of ÖBB and a truck at an uninterrupted level crossing with light signs occurred at 11:00 a.m. in Willendorf, district of Neunkirchen. According to the train crew, which consisted of two train drivers (an instructor and a trainee) and seven passengers, the truck was unloaded at the time of the incident and only had the handlebar in the vehicle.

The truck driver indicated that no signals, neither red nor yellow, were displayed on the light signal system. This statement was confirmed by a witness. The Willendorf police inspection has started the investigation and examined why the red light was not shining. In the accident, only one person, a passenger, was slightly injured and brought to the Neunkirchen Clinic. The two handlebars, both the train and the truck, remained unharmed.

consequences and investigation

The federal road 26 was closed between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to enable the rescue work by the Willendorf volunteer fire brigade for the truck and by ÖBB employees for the railway set. Alcohol tests on all three drivers (two train drivers, a truck handlebar) were negative.

With regard to the safety precautions to railway crossings, as explained in another report, costs for backups are usually borne by 50% by railway companies and 50% by the straps of the road construction load, which is particularly a high financial burden for municipalities. It is pointed out that the technical fuses such as light signs and barriers are not always sufficient to prevent accidents and that the guilt usually lies with street users.

Furthermore, a report calls for an adaptation of the deadlines for the review of unsecured railway crossings from five to at least ten years and a new financing regulation in the Railway Act to update the current regulation.

For more information about the incident and other aspects of accidents on level crossings, the articles can be found on wn24 and Community Bund .