Union Pacific and SPCINC also issue statements on the incident
by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
02-20-26
More information was received by the Uvalde Hesperian on the Monday morning February 16th accident involving a SPXINC tractor trailer and a Union Pacific train which occurred in Knippa.
Immediately following the accident, the Hesperian reached out to SPX, Union Pacific and Texas DPS for information on the incident.
On the same day of the accident, the Hesperian received the following statement from Union Pacific: “At 9 a.m. CST today, a Union Pacific train collided with the backend of a semi trailer truck on the tracks in Knippa, Texas. Neither the train crew nor the driver of the truck was injured. The incident occurred near the intersection of E. Main St and FM1049. The Texas Highway Patrol responded,” Robynn Tysver Mgr. II Communications of Union Pacific Railroad said.
Also on Monday February 16th, SPXINC General Manager Mario C. Garcia responded to the Hesperian and said, “I appreciate the pictures and looks like traffic held us up and driver could not move forward anymore.”
Texas Department of Public Safety Staff Sergeant Rene Cordova sent the following report on the accident to the Uvalde Hesperian earlier today, Friday, February 20th.
‘Synopsis: On February 16th, 2026, at approximately 8:45 am, a train collided with a truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer in Knippa, Texas.
The truck-tractor trailer combo was stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of US Highway 90 on FM 1049. The rear of the semi-trailer was on the railroad tracks as the truck-tractor was stopped. As the truck-tractor trailer combo was stopped waiting for a safe opportunity to attempt a right turn onto US 90, a train began approaching from the west.
Due to the semi-trailer being on the railroad tracks and unable to travel forward, the train struck the semi-trailer in the right rear, causing the semi-trailer to strike a railroad crossing arm, knocking it down. After the collision, the train came to a stop on the railroad tracks and the truck-tractor trailer combo came to rest in the outside lane of the westbound lanes of US 90.’
Since the accident, Union Pacific railroad employees have been seen this week replacing the signal located at the crossing where the accident occurred.
