Miracle Escape After NJ Transit Train Slams Into Vehicle at Fair Lawn Crossing
Commuter Scare: Out-of-Service Train Collides with Pickup Truck at Radburn Station
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
FAIR LAWN, NJ — A Bergen County driver is incredibly lucky to be alive after an NJ Transit train collided with a pickup truck during the Thursday evening rush hour, shutting down local roads and suspending train service.
The dramatic crash occurred at approximately 5:35 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Fair Lawn Avenue grade crossing near the Radburn Station.
According to NJ Transit Director of Media Relations John Chartier, an out-of-service Bergen County Line train traveling southbound toward Hoboken struck a black Chevrolet pickup truck that had ended up on the tracks.
Driver Hospitalized; Crossing Gates Active During the Crash
Despite the violent force of the collision, the driver of the Chevrolet pickup truck miraculously sustained only a minor arm injury. On-scene emergency workers from the Fair Lawn EMS quickly treated the driver before transporting them via ambulance to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Fortunately, because the Hoboken-bound train was out of service, it was not carrying any commuters. Officials confirmed that no train crew members or transit workers were injured in the incident.
Witnesses at the scene observed significant damage to the crossing gate at the collision site, indicating that the crossing signals and safety arms were down and functioning properly when the truck was struck.
Rapid Response Causes Major Commuter Delays
The crash triggered a massive response from local and transit emergency services. The NJ Transit Police Department led the investigation, assisted at the scene by the:
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Fair Lawn Police Department
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Fair Lawn Rescue Squad
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Fair Lawn Fire Department
While emergency responders worked to secure the area and clear the wreckage, traffic on Fair Lawn Avenue was completely re-routed, leading to gridlock during the busy evening commute. A local flatbed tow truck was brought in to haul away the heavily damaged pickup truck.
Rail service on NJ Transit’s Bergen County Line was briefly suspended immediately following the crash. While trains have since resumed running, commuters experienced residual delays throughout Thursday evening.
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Fair Lawn NJ, Bergen County News, NJ Transit, Train Accident, Radburn Station, Fair Lawn Police Department, Fair Lawn Rescue Squad, Local Traffic Delays
