STRASBURG, Pa. — A Strasburg Railroad steam engine struck a rail-mounted excavator Wednesday morning while performing a "run around" at the end of its run, a spokesperson for the railroad said Thursday.
No one was injured in the incident, which occurred around 11:23 a.m., the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, Engine No. 475 was moving from one end of the train to the other in order to return the train to the station when the incident occurred. During the maneuver, called a "run around," the engine briefly moves along a parallel track from one end of the line of passenger cars to the other, before re-coupling with the passenger cars.
While performing the "run around," the spokesperson said, Engine 475 struck the rail-mounted excavator, which was unoccupied. The engine was not attached to any passenger cars at the time of impact, and no one was injured.
The excavator was placed on the track for storage the night before the incident by a maintenance crew, and the collision occurred when a misaligned switch kept the steam engine on the same track as the excavator, the spokesperson said.
"Engine 475 suffered moderate damage requiring the round smoke box door and headlight to be replaced," the spokesperson told FOX43. "The fabrication and installation work is underway at Strasburg Rail Road’s Mechanical Shop."
Engine 475 is expected to be back up and running quickly and ready for Strasburg Rail Road’s Christmas Trains which run Nov. 19 - Dec. 22.
