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Associated Press courtesy of Yahoo News - video courtesy of WBBM-CBS TV Chicago:
From the video included in the link above, I'm surprised to learn that there were not flashing signals and even gates at an X-ing of a numbered State highway (that I use on occasion myself) immediately North of an intersection with a US highway. I can think of enough locations equipped with gates that handle far less traffic and at considerably lower authorized speeds than does the CB&Q.
This is especially surprising in view of that eight passenger train movements are handled over that Sub Division.
Youth seems to hold they are invincible, elderly persons such as myself had best accept that the 'seein' and hearin'" just "ain't what they used to be" - as well as that accelerator and brake pedal seem to feel the same.
Finally, even though it is best if we elders are elsewhere than behind the wheel after dark (I plan my driving so as not to be to the fullest extent possible), I must wonder if this incident could have been avoided had the occurrence been during night time conditions, as the locomotive headlights would be far more visible than during the day. In short, I highly doubt if the driver, even if distracted by any of the vehicle passengers, made a judgement call to "beat the train"; in all likelihood just plain neither saw nor heard it.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Sometimes teenage invincibility seems to resurrect itself with age and loss of cognition. I watched the difference between my father and my step-father-in-law in their declining years (a Victorian way of putting it that is certainly more realistic that the "Golden Year" current euphenism)
My father, always a cautious man became even more so, gradually limiting his driving to daytime and very local. My FIL, who told stories of teenage and early 20's idiocy seemed to revert to that in his driving until finally my wife's older brother took all the car keys out of their house, fortunately before anything serious happened.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Here is a link to my reply about this very tragic incident in SOMONAUK IL which is located just west of AURORA IL. This happened on the former CB&Q now BNSF Mendota Subdivision. As far as I can tell the involved train was Amtrak Train 5 of yesterday the 13th. This event delayed big-time yesterdays Amtrak long-distance fleet west from Chicago with the exception of the Empire Builder which travels on a different railroad:
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The people in Michigan, were kind of stupid trying to beet the train. Come on, there were flashing lights, gates, and probably a bell. Not to mention the horn. It was the teenagers, trying to beat the train. You would kind of like to know what they were thinking before they did that. But probably what happened is that they dared the driver to do it. Now in Illinois it is sad. I don't understand why the state road didn't have a gate. In my state almost all of them have one, except for industrial spurs. Some don't even cross the track at grade at all. But none the less both events are tragic
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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I get Yahoo news alerts for stories involving the word "Amtrak." Every week there are 2-3 stories about someone getting killed by an Amtrak train somewhere in the country. Almost all of them are about people who tried to beat the train or were standing on the tracks.
I believe there will be "fallout" to the Illinois transpotation agency, IDOT, regarding why fhashing signals were not installed on a main N-S highway. That fallout could well affect the "deep posckets" of BNSF and Amtrak.
While I likely should not be speculating until the formal investigations are complete and the results publicly released, it would appear that fault for the incident affecting #30(14) and reported by eyewitness Ms. Gold Cup can be laid with one, and only one, party.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Something I've noticed on my trips to the States which is different to the UK is how easy it is to get on to the tracks in the US. Over here all lines are protected by fences usually at least four feet high but across the pond I have seen many locations where the track is unprotected and you can just step on from the sidewalk. I have even seen people jogging alongside the tracks!
I presume it's illegal to trespass on the tracks? How strictly is it enforced? In the UK trespass normally comes under civil, not criminal law EXCEPT for things such as military land, railroad, Government property, mines etc and the rail police even go out in "dummy" trains to catch offenders red-handed.
I know you can never allow for the determined/stupid and we have tragedies on the track as well but could the ease of access explain why it seems to happen proportionately so more often in the US?
Posts: 395 | From: england | Registered: Sep 2002
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Note the use of the word "intersection" in this article. In all my years, I've never heard a railroad crossing referred to as an "intersection." That word, to me, implies somehow (wrongly) that the train bears some responsibility for this tragedy.
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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The AP story on the collision did use the term "crossing" in the first reference, and "intersection" in the second.
Methinks a clueless copy editor changed a second "crossing" in the reporter's story to avoid keyword repetition, which is a good thing but not always.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Referring to my Detroit comment (not the thread poster's related incident), the police have ended their enquiry according to this story. No real surprises there.
Faint of heart warning: There is a video on the above link looking out of the head end of the Amtrak train which shows the collision but only really in a few frames: of the car appearing just short of the crossing; with the car just visible in front of the train; and showing what looks like glass fragments flying through the air.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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OT, but I just read a news article about smuggling. The photo showed a UP locomotive. The caption read, "A Missouri Pacific train is inspected at the US/Mexico Border". How long has it been since MOPAC got absorbed by a bigger road? (UP?)
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
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quote:Originally posted by dns8560: How long has it been since MOPAC got absorbed by a bigger road? (UP?)
Long enough that a baby born at the time should by now have kids of his own in grammar school. (1982)
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Stephen -- when I clicked on your link, I got a page called "Topic Galleries" and there was nothing whatsoever on it about AMTRAK. But, from reading the above posts, I believe I understand what happened.....
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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