2 weeks before Missouri train derailment, Chariton County farmer warned of danger in area
By Nick Sloan
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CHARITON COUNTY, Missouri (KCTV) — A Missouri farmer earlier this month warned of potential danger in the area of where Monday’s train derailment occurred in Chariton County.
A few weeks ago, Mike Spencer posted a video on Facebook detailing his concerns about the area.
“This is a railroad crossing a couple of miles southwest of Mendon, Mo. on Porsche Prairie road. We have to cross this with farm equipment to get to several of our fields. We have been on the RR for several years about fixing the approach by building the road up, putting in signals, signal lights or just cutting the brush back. This train is only moving at approximately 45-50 but some come through at anywhere from 70-90 mph,” he posted.
Spencer, a corn and soybean farmer near the intersection, spoke to CBS News Monday about the video and his concerns.
“Well, yeah, I predicted here just two or three weeks ago and I’d actually taken a video and posted it on Facebook of a train coming through from the east,” he said. “And now this particular train was coming from the west, I understand, but anyway, I predict predicted that somebody that wasn’t familiar with the track was going to get hit just because of the steep incline.”
“It’s just tragic that this has happened, really is.”
He said the ball got dropped on the matter.
Three people have died and at least 50 were injured after an Amtrak train hit a dump truck and derailed in Mendon today.
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