"The gate was down. The truck went around the gate. The train was coming through at that time. He caught the back end of the truck," said Steven Bates, assistant 2nd district fire chief.
The train did not derail, according to CTA officials.
No one was injured in the incident. Eleven passengers were on the train, along with the engineer. They all walked away from the crash unhurt. The truck driver also refused medical treatment at the scene.
"I actually saw the driver jump out of his truck after it happened. It all happened pretty quick," said Eddie Ayala, witness.
According to the CTA, the lights and gates at the train stops were working. They said the train was just laving the station when it struck the truck.
"The reason you have crossing gates is for safety. And everybody should obey them," said William Mooney, CTA chief operating officer. "Does it make sense to try to beat a train? Because, you know, quite honestly, if a train comes in collision with a vehicle, the train is always going to win."
A shuttle bus was briefly in place between Western and Kimball while crews worked the scene. Service from Western to the Loop on the Brown Line was not disrupted.
"Thank god no one was hurt. It worked out well," said Ayala.
