An Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train collided with a large eucalyptus yesterday, causing delays but no injuries.

The crash occurred around 10 a.m. when the engine smashed into the tree. As of press time, there are no reported injuries among the 130 passengers and seven crew members.

[media-credit name=”Santa Barbara County Fire Department Photo” align=”alignleft” width=”250″][/media-credit]

A firefighter inspects the damage to the windowpane of an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner after the train crashed into a eucalyptus tree which had fallen into the the middle of the track, an incident which caused delays, but no injuries, to passengers or crew.

According to Santa Barbara County Fire Dept. Public Information Officer David Sadecki, the train took a quarter of a mile to stop and carried the tree 100 yards.

“They were able to continue and took the train to Goleta to have the train evaluated,” Sadecki said.

Although the engine only sustained a smashed window, Sadecki said it took an hour to get the Surfliner running again.

“I know that they were coming around the corner at around 60 miles per hour and I know the conductor pulled the emergency brake as soon as he saw the tree,” Sadecki said.

As of press time, Amtrak representatives were not available for comment.

— Staff Report

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