Too-Tall Car Hauler Strikes Binghamton Railroad Bridge

An expensive car being transported through Binghamton was damaged when the trailer it was in slammed into the underside of a railroad bridge.

The crash occurred on Robinson Street on the city's East Side around 1 p.m. Monday.

No injuries were reported but the trailer that struck the bridge sustained heavy damage.

Authorities said there were two BMWs inside the hauling unit. The roof of the vehicle on top was damaged and its windshield was smashed. The car on the bottom apparently was undamaged.

The eastbound trailer was being pulled by a large pickup truck with a "Benny Bish Racing" sign on one side. The sign listed an address in Whitney Point.

Binghamton police closed off Robinson Street between Whitney Avenue and Alice Street after the crash.

Firefighters extinguished a small blaze that was ignited when a battery in a bridge warning light was damaged by the impact.

Workers from a towing service released the air from the trailer's tires to provide enough clearance to enable it to be backed out from under the bridge.

The top of the trailer was extensively damaged. Police notified the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway of Cooperstown of the crash so the railroad could inspect the bridge.

Tall vehicles and trailers continue to crash into the Robinson Street overpass despite signs, lights and yellow paint designed to warn drivers of the low clearance.

The city of Binghamton installed signs in 2017 directing truck drivers "to come to a complete stop" to check the clearance before proceeding under the bridge.

VIDEO: The scene on Robinson Street minutes after a too-tall trailer struck a railroad bridge on March 25, 2024.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.