NC Congress members uninjured in Virginia train crash

Several North Carolina congress members were on board a train Wednesday that crashed into a garbage truck near Charlottesville, Virginia, while on its way to a GOP political retreat.

Posted 5:44 p.m. Jan 31, 2018 — Updated 11:26 p.m. Jan 31, 2018

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. — Several Congress members from North Carolina were on board a train Wednesday that crashed into a garbage truck near Charlottesville, Va., while on its way to a Republican political retreat.

Sen. Thom Tillis and Reps. Mark Walker, David Rouzer, Richard Hudson, Robert Pittenger, Virginia Foxx, Patrick McHenry and Ted Budd were aboard the train when it crashed before noon, killing one person inside the truck. None of the lawmakers was injured.

In a phone interview after the crash, Pittenger told WRAL News that he felt a "huge slam" when the train collided with the truck. He said he looked out the window after the crash and saw trash littering the ground.

"We're all in shock right now to see what's happened with somebody's life that was lost over an incident that just never had to occur," Pittenger said.

Sen. Richard Burr and Reps. George Holding, Walter Jones and Mark Meadows weren't on the train.

Republican members of Congress were on the chartered Amtrak train headed to a retreat at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., starting Wednesday and ending Friday. Pittenger said it was not clear how they will get to the retreat.