Taranaki train victim named

File photo / Martin Sykes

Police have named a woman who died after a car and a freight train collided in Stratford, Taranaki this morning.

Antoinette Hess, 48, of Kaponga, 19km southwest of Stratford, died in the 9.15am accident, which left her seven-year-old daughter with serious head and abdominal injuries and her 63-year-old brother with serious head and arm injuries.

It was not known who was driving.

The crossing was controlled by stop signs and did not have barrier arms or bells, Senior Sergeant Darin Haenga told NZPA.

"Flint Road, that side is a dead end but it can be busy. There are a lot of farmers that live down that way as well as there's the showgrounds right next door," he said.

"I think anything that would help to prevent accidents would be beneficial but I can't really say whether it should have or shouldn't have (barrier arms and bells)."

Crossing controls would be helpful, he said.

"But there are the stop signs there and if you're local you're familiar with the area and everybody stops, or is supposed to stop."

The serious crash unit was investigating.

- NZPA