Train conductor killed in crash with dump truck

CLEVELAND (WOIO/Gray News) – A train conductor was killed in a crash with a dump truck in Ohio early Tuesday morning.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Louis Shuster, 46. Shuster was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shuster was a train conductor with Norfolk-Southern. The company released a statement saying Shuster was on the train moving through a crossing at the Cleveland Cliffs facility around 1:19 a.m. when the train was struck by the dump truck.

Cleveland police said the dump truck driver stopped at a stop sign at the railroad tracks and then proceeded forward, striking the front left side of the first train car. Shuster was positioned on the outside of the train car and was struck.

Shuster was president of BLET Division 607 in Cleveland. He was the father of a 16-year-old son and a caregiver for his older parents. Shuster was also an Army veteran.

“Lou was a passionate and dedicated union brother,” said Pat Redmond, local chairman of BLET Division 607. “He was always there for his co-workers. He was very active in helping veterans who worked on the railroad and veterans all across our community.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is also sending investigators to the scene.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg commented on the crash in a tweet Tuesday, writing, “Our thoughts are with the family facing this preventable tragedy. Now more than ever, it is time for stronger freight railroad accountability and safety.”

Buttigieg recently visited East Palestine, Ohio, after a Norfolk-Southern train derailed on Feb. 3 while carrying hazardous chemicals.

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