An eastbound Long Island Rail Road train struck a car on the tracks in Syosset. The driver was killed and Newsday reports, "The gate at the grade-crossing... was repaired one hour before the fatal crash in Syosset....Some witnesses indicated the gate was up at the time of the accident, but a preliminary investigation of an electronic recording device monitoring the gate at Robbins Lane indicated that the gates at the Syosset crossing were in the down position at the time of the crash, [LIRR spokesman Sam] Zambuto told Newsday." (There will be an investigation.) The train was the 8 a.m. from Penn Station, arriving in Huntington at 9:10 a.m.; none of the passengers were injured. Service was suspended between Hicksville and Huntington, but it has been restored to one set of the tracks. more ›

In a scene described as "total destruction," a rush hour commuter train in Los Angeles carrying 225 passengers collided head on with a Union Pacific freight train. As of the latest update, 15 people are confirmed dead and 135 injured (45 critically) as rescue teams worked into the night. "They are in there removing dead bodies that are lying on top of survivors," Fire Captain John Virant said. Currently there is no word on the circumstances that allowed the accident to occur. LAist has extensive ongoing coverage of the accident and its fallout, including photos from the scene. more ›