Two injured after train strikes car hauler on Route 82 in Eaton Twp.

EATON TWP. — Two people suffered minor injuries after the car hauler they were in was struck by a train late Tuesday morning, cutting the cab from its trailer and closing Royalton Road to traffic for much of the afternoon. The crash happened at the CSX Railroad crossing just east of Mallard Creek Golf Club and 84 Lumber in the 34400 block of Royalton Road/state Route 82. According to the State Highway Patrol, a car hauler belonging to Leo's Towing & Transport Inc. of Dearborn, Michigan, was hauling used cars out of Copart Cleveland West at 34417 E. Royalton Road when it attempted to cross the railroad tracks at 11:54 a.m. Tuesday. As it did, a southwest-bound train hauling trash in open-top cars cut the hauler in half, leaving the trailer on the eastern side of the tracks and the cab and three cars on the western side, including a lime green Ford Mustang convertible, a white Toyota SUV and a black Ford SUV. Highway Patrol troopers, the Eaton Township Fire Department, Lorain County Sheriff's Office, Ohio Department of Transportation and CSX railroad workers, an EnviroService HAZMAT Response Team, Lorain County Emergency Management and Homeland Security responded. The driver and passenger in the car hauler suffered minor injuries, but were transported to an area hospital as a precaution, Highway Patrol Sgt. Ray Santiago said at the scene. Santiago said the driver told troopers they did not see the flashing lights for the train. The gates and lights on the western side of the tracks were destroyed in the crash. Access to Royalton Road/Route 82 was limited to local traffic between state Route 83 to the west and Route 252 to the east while troopers investigated the crash and towing companies were called to help clean up the wreckage. Many golfers who had spent the morning in 60-degree sunny weather at Mallard Creek came out to have a look at the crash. Several said they frequently hear trains blowing their horns at the crossing while playing on the course. Photographer Kristin Bauer contributed to this story. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him @daveobrienCT on Twitter.