North Dakota Highway Patrol officials have identified the man who died after a tragic collision between a combine and a BNSF train in rural Cass County: 33-year-old Herman Van Den Berg of Colgate.
The crash, which occurred around 11:00 a.m. on October 9 near 133rd Avenue Southeast northwest of Page, caused at least 20 rail cars to derail, ignited the lead locomotive, and closed the roadway for cleanup.
Harvest season in North Dakota always means more heavy equipment on rural roads—especially combines moving between fields and grain bins. On the morning of October 9, Van Den Berg was driving his combine southbound on a township road when it collided head-on with a westbound BNSF train. The crossing was marked but not protected by gates or signals.
The force of the impact caused the train’s lead engine to catch fire and triggered a derailment of approximately 20 cars. The engineer and conductor escaped without serious injury. Authorities say 133rd Avenue Southeast was shut north and south of the tracks for 34 to 48 hours during cleanup efforts.
In a broader sense, this tragedy resonates for Bismarck-area residents because many in the region travel rural roads and crossings daily during harvest. Accidents involving farm machinery and rail lines have long been a risk in Cass County and across the Red River Valley. Local farmers, school bus drivers, and rural commuters alike pay attention when such collisions occur.
A local farmer, speaking off the record, reflected: “Every fall, we tell our crews to be extra careful around tracks. It only takes one misread signal or distraction to end the season in a tragedy.”
With harvest operations intensifying statewide, the danger at unprotected rail crossings increases. Bismarck area drivers, especially those traveling rural routes, should double down on safety checks and train-spotting vigilance. Local agencies and county commissions may face renewed calls to install better signage, lights, or crossing gates at high-risk intersections near Bismarck’s agricultural belt.
This tragic collision in Cass County sends a stark warning to all Central North Dakota: as fields turn golden and combines move at dawn, the border between farm and railroad remains one where caution must never be optional. Let Van Den Berg’s memory be a reminder—every crossing, every turn, deserves full attention.
