Belmont crash leaves two injured after MBTA commuter rail train strikes vehicle at Brighton Street crossing

What happened

An investigation is underway after an MBTA Commuter Rail train struck a vehicle at the Brighton Street grade crossing in Belmont early Monday, January 26, 2026. The collision was reported at about 4 a.m. as a winter storm affected travel conditions across Massachusetts.

Two people inside the vehicle were hospitalized. Emergency crews used extrication tools to remove the driver and a passenger, who were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries that were described as non-life-threatening.

Immediate response and safety questions

The incident occurred at a roadway-rail crossing where motor vehicles and commuter rail trains intersect at grade. At such crossings, the key immediate questions for investigators typically include the sequence of events leading the vehicle onto the tracks, whether the vehicle became immobilized, and the time and distance available for the approaching train to respond once the hazard was present.

Transit police said the vehicle was stuck on the tracks as the commuter rail train approached. Investigators are expected to review physical evidence at the scene, train operations data, and any available video to establish a timeline.

• Location: Brighton Street railroad crossing, Belmont

• Time: approximately 4 a.m., Monday, January 26, 2026

• Injuries: two occupants hospitalized; described as serious but non-life-threatening

• Status: follow-up investigation underway

Context: Brighton Street and prior rail-crossing incidents

The Brighton Street area has been the site of prior commuter-rail incidents in past years, including crashes involving vehicles that ended up on the tracks. Those earlier cases have highlighted common risk factors at grade crossings, including navigation errors, congestion, and driver decision-making under changing road conditions.

The investigation into Monday’s crash is expected to focus on why the vehicle was on the tracks and the circumstances that left it unable to clear the crossing before impact.

What investigators will likely examine next

As the investigation proceeds, officials typically work to confirm the train’s movement and warning activity leading up to the collision, the vehicle’s path to the crossing, and environmental conditions at the time. Any determination of contributing factors, potential violations, or safety recommendations would follow completion of that review.

No additional details about the identities of those injured, or any potential enforcement actions, were immediately released in the initial public information about the crash.