They made it across first tracks. Not second set. The impact was on the far tracks, the Canadian Pacific mainline, just off the Westview Golf Course. Image: Steve Lunde
Woman dragged 20 feet by train; injuries critical
WINONA, Minn. – A train struck and critically injured a Winona woman who fell out of her wheelchair while being pushed across tracks in the Bierce Street industrial area. She was dragged 20 feet by the locomotive, which the engineer was attempting to brake. Police said the woman was conscious when officers arrived. She was taken to the Winona hospital, then airlifted 40 miles to a Trauma Level One hospital in LaCrosse. Police didn’t release the woman’s name but said she was 42 and lived nearby.
Bierce rail crossing
Before Riverview Drive was built atop Winona’s Mississippi River flood dike, Bierce Street was the main route from Broadway Street to Prairie Island. Today it still a link rom the Far West End to Prairie Island but poorly maintained. The crossing is at a harbor-adjacent industrial area and the Westview golf course. Until last year the landmark near the crossing was a CPS elevator, which has been razed. Today the Bierce intersection with Riverview Drive is marked by a Fastenal retail and a turn-off to Prairie Island.
Police reconstruction
> The woman and her husband had been downtown and were returning to their home in the Bierce Street area.
> The woman’s husband was pushing her across two sets of tracks — one the Canadian Pacific mainline and the other a spur switching off to the Union Pacific yard along Riverview Drive. About 70 feet separates the two tracks.
> The couple had crossed the UP tracks, nearest Riverview Drive, and were almost to the CP mainline. The husband saw the CP freight train coming and tried to get across those tracks ahead of the engine.
> The woman fell off wheel chair in the train’s path.
> The engineer saw the situation and was braking at the moment of impact. The train was westbound, heading out of Winona, and had been going about 30 mph, the limit through town.
> The woman was conscious but unable to talk when police arrived. The husband was unhurt.
> The crossing was blocked about two hours. Police said they found the cross gates cross arms and flashing lights were working properly.