Dog Stuck on Railroad Tracks Nearly Hit by Downeaster Saved

It was a close call for a dog that was trapped on the railroad tracks in Wells, Maine, as the Amtrak Downeaster was approaching.

Scary Moment For All

Jeff Parsons

The Amtrak Downeaster has been transporting people from Maine to Boston and back since December 2001. It travels on rails owned by CSX Transportation and it was on those rails that a tragedy was avoided when a lost dog became stuck on the railroad tracks, unable to escape as the Downeaste was bearing down on it.

Trains can't stop on a dime, and the longer they are, the longer it takes to come to a complete stop. Luckily for a dog named "Truck," he survived thanks to the train itself.

Leash Caught on Rail

Wells, Maine Police Department

Truck had run away from home, still wearing his leash, and found his way onto the railroad tracks. While there, his leash got caught on one of the spikes that are used to hold the rails against the ties. The Downeaster was quickly approaching, but Truck was on the outside of the rail just far enough not to be hit and have the wheels of the train sever his leash, freeing him without a scratch.

However, Truck ran off, and that's when a search by drone began.

2A TAC Air OPS Drone Services

There's a drone service based in Maine that is run by licensed drone pilots who have state-of-the-art drones used for search and rescue operations. 2A TAC Air OPS Drone Services used a drone with infrared scanning to find Truck and brought him home with the help of Wells Police and The Downeaster.