BOSTON -- Minutes before a lone runaway freight car slammed into a commuter train on Tuesday sending 80 people to the hospital, a lumberyard employee called police warning of the impending danger.

Employee Warns Of Danger | Engineer Hailed Hero

No one was killed, but dozens of people were injured when the freight train car rolled from a side track onto the main line in Stoughton and struck a stationary commuter train at about 5:25 p.m. Tuesday near Canton Junction.

An employee from the Cohenno Inc., lumberyard called Stoughton police at about 5:10 p.m. Tuesday, warning of the runaway freight car on the commuter rail tracks. (Listen To Call)

"This is Cohenno Inc., down on Evans Drive. The freight car's out on the commuter rail here. The freight car went out on the commuter rail. We got to stop the commuter train," the caller warned. "The freight car is sitting on the tracks. We gotta stop -- somehow -- we gotta get the MBTA to stop the commuter rail."

Fifteen minutes later, the car collided with the train three miles down the track.

Officials said of the 300 people on board the Stoughton-bound train, 150 were treated at the scene and 80 of those were sent to area hospitals with minor injuries such as bruises, neck and back problems or facial cuts.

Three members of the train crew were also injured, including train engineer Ronald Gomes, 61, who was released from the hospital on Wednesday after being treated for non-life-threatening injuries; conductor Richard Platt, 44, and assistant conductor Christopher Leaman, 39, who were both treated for minor injuries.

On Wednesday, federal and local transportation safety officials were looking at the actions of company personnel and inspecting the tracks where the car was parked.

Bradford Cohenno, the company's president, told NewsCenter 5 that the brakes on the freight car let go. Each car has its own brake and choke system.

"It's all part of the investigation. But that car was rolling by itself. It does not have an engine on it. It was a single freight car loaded with lumber," MBTA Police Chief Paul McMillan said.

The commuter train had left South Station about 4:40 p.m. and Gomes was alerted by a stop signal that there was something approaching on the track ahead. He slammed on the brake, but seconds later, the freight car slammed into the train.

"Ronnie stayed in that cab, calling in the emergency, giving his position. The boxcar came down, struck with great force, knocking Ronnie all over the cab, off the wall, onto the deck," said Gerry DeModena, of the Mass Bay Commuter Railroad.

Passengers said Gomes warned them to brace for impact.

"His decision was to sit in that seat and apply the applicable rules in the best interest of the safety of the people on the train, when he could have very well opted to climb off the engine and run -- but he didn't," DeModena said.

The MBTA suspended service on the Providence/Stoughton line on Tuesday night, but full service was restored for Wednesday's commute.

"It seems like a long way. I take the train frequently from Stoughton and Canton Junction, and it is not really down hill. That is hard to believe that it came that far," commuter Frank Donaghy said.

"I would put some responsibility on the actual company that the freight car came from. How does that get loose and roll 2 ½ miles down the track and there is no warning prior to that? I can't imagine it was going that fast. Word should have gone out before then," commuter Ryan Carpenter said.

CSX has not commented on the incident.

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