NTSB final report BNSF collision: N.D. crash findings

NTSB final report BNSF collision findings point to rule compliance problems tied to a deadly crash near New Rockford, N.D. The agency said a BNSF welding truck was hit while backing across a private grade crossing, and that the crew’s understanding of a backup-movement requirement was a contributing factor, as outlined by Trains.com.

What the NTSB final report says about the BNSF collision?

In the final investigation report released Jan. 28, the National Transportation Safety Board said the probable cause was the welding crew’s failure to detect an approaching train as the truck reversed over the crossing. The Nov. 4, 2024 incident occurred at a private grade crossing on a dirt road about 2.5 miles northwest of New Rockford, matching the case summary published by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The driver was killed, and a second employee riding in the truck was injured. The fatality was later identified as 58-year-old Darrin Polansky of Brainerd, Minn.

How the private grade crossing crash unfolded?

Investigators said the collision happened at about 11 a.m. as the welding truck backed toward a farm crossing where the roadway meets the tracks at a sharp angle. During that maneuver, a westbound BNSF freight train struck the vehicle.

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The train crew had already spotted the truck and continuously sounded the locomotive horn. The report says the crew put the train into emergency about three seconds before the collision. The passenger told investigators he did not see the train until seconds before impact, while the driver used side-view mirrors to position the truck for work.

Backup-move rule, “person on the ground,” and BNSF response

The NTSB final report BNSF collision also focuses on a BNSF safety rule on vehicles: employees are instructed to avoid backing when possible, and when a backup move is necessary, a person must be on the ground to guide it. Investigators determined that if the passenger had been at the rear of the truck directing the back-up move, he would have seen the train, heard its horn, and likely could have prevented the accident. Industry reporting, including Railway Age, repeats that conclusion about backup guidance and rule compliance.

The investigation further found a gap in how the requirement was interpreted. BNSF officials viewed the rule as mandatory without exception, while employees believed it could be applied on a case-by-case basis based on their judgment. After the crash, BNSF conducted a safety stand-down to review procedures and amended the rule to emphasize that a person on the ground or on-track safety must be used to guide a backup move.

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