A Metrolink commuter train struck a silver sedan at a railroad crossing in Glendale, California, Wednesday morning, killing the driver and injuring four others, marking the latest fatal rail incident in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state.
The collision occurred around 9:04 a.m. at West San Fernando Road and Broadway, where the adult woman behind the wheel was attempting to make a right turn onto Broadway when the Antelope Valley Line train, carrying 150 passengers, slammed into her vehicle.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not been released.
The impact sent debris flying into a male bystander, who sustained injuries. Three passengers aboard Train 206 were also hurt, and at least one person was transported to a hospital for treatment, the New York Post reported.
Those aboard the train described the collision in jarring terms. One USC professor, a regular commuter who was still on the wrecked train when speaking to reporters, recounted the moment of impact:
"It made a very loud smashing noise, and you could feel the impact on the train."
An announcement was made to riders following the crash, and the train came to a stop at San Fernando and Colorado. Glendale Police responded to the scene, and the body of the deceased driver was transferred to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.
The investigation is ongoing.
The collision forced Metrolink to shut down tracks in both directions for nearly three hours. The disruption extended well beyond the Antelope Valley Line—service was canceled on several trains across the San Bernardino and Ventura County lines as well.
For the tens of thousands of commuters who rely on Metrolink to navigate Southern California's congested corridors, the shutdown was a stark reminder of how fragile the region's transit infrastructure can be. One collision at a single crossing can cascade across multiple counties.
Railroad crossing collisions remain a persistent problem across the country, and California is no exception. Despite decades of public awareness campaigns, flashing lights, crossing gates, and warning signs, drivers continue to make fatal miscalculations at these intersections.
The details of Wednesday's crash—a driver attempting a turn at a crossing, a train traveling on schedule, a split-second decision that ended in death—are tragically common. Whether the crossing gates were functioning properly, whether the driver failed to heed warnings, or whether other factors contributed to the collision will be determined by investigators. But the outcome is already final.
These incidents raise uncomfortable questions about driver behavior and infrastructure adequacy. Grade-separated crossings—where roads pass over or under tracks rather than across them—are the only guaranteed solution, but they are expensive and politically difficult to fund. Until then, communities like Glendale will continue to see these collisions, and families will continue to receive the worst possible news.
Glendale Police have not indicated whether any citations or charges will follow, nor have they released further details about the circumstances leading up to the crash. The coroner's office will complete its work, the tracks will reopen, and commuters will resume their routines.
But for the passengers who felt that impact, who heard that noise, who sat stranded on a train while emergency crews worked outside their windows—Wednesday morning will not be so easily forgotten.
One woman is dead. Four others are injured. And 150 passengers learned just how quickly an ordinary commute can turn catastrophic.
