The train passed over a rail line bridge on Division Street in Elizabeth around 1 p.m., Ruby Contreras, a city spokesperson, told NJ Advance Media.
While over the bridge, the train knocked down a set of overhead wires, which hit three cars and caused minor injuries to their occupants, officials said.
Nearby buildings lost power because of the damaged utility equipment. The outage, a utility spokesperson said, affected about 1,700 customers.
Workers from PSE&G and Verizon responded to the scene to shut down electrical service to the area.
A spokesperson for the electrical company said motorists were removed from their vehicles, which were surrounded by wiring, once power to the area was paused.
Most people in the area were expected to have power restored by 4 p.m. A restoration effort on the power lines was expected to continue into Tuesday morning, the PSE&G spokesperson said.
Contreras said the train was shunting freight cars between rail yards when the crash happened. The strike remained under investigation Monday afternoon.
The rail line is operated by Conrail, which did not immediately return a request for comment. The line is not used by NJ Transit for passenger service, the state transportation company said.
The train’s owner was unclear. Photos shared online showed a Norfolk Southern diesel locomotive appearing to be pulling the train. The freight carrier did not immediately return a request for comment.
The bridge is a few hundred feet shy of the intersection at Division and Trumbull streets, which officials planned to close for several hours to clear the scene. It’s also adjacent to a major rail yard that leads into a main line that passes under Interstate 95.
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Eric Conklinmay be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
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