As if the Salinas Valley didn't have enough problems with recalled produce. On Thursday Amtrak 11 plowed through a lettuce truck near Castroville, just north of Salinas. Nobody was seriously hurt. The local paper had a great picture. Its posted free for a week, then goes into archives. So see it now while you can http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/local/15748461.htm
This particular intersection of Espinoza Road and Highway 183 has the tracks too close to the highway to allow a truck to stop at the intersection without hanging over the tracks. #14 hit a produce truck at the same location a few years ago. That one caused more damage to the locomotive than this recent one. This one just looks funny. Methinks either the tracks or the highway need to be realigned to prevent this from happening again. The next truck driver might not be so lucky as this one was.
Posted by Ken V (Member # 1466) on :
Uggh, what a mess! I suppose it's better than a truckload of watermelons though.
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
Great post title, Mr. Toy!
Posted by RRCHINA (Member # 1514) on :
If something like this has to occur let it be salad. I have seen petroleum trucks and propane trucks have near misses but have never seen the aftermath when they do not make it. Terrible for the RR crews if it is liquid but with propane the crew sometimes survives. The propane truck will act like a balloon with the air released and may end up 1/4 mile away.
Remember the AMTRAK accident south of Chicago a few years ago when a truck loaded with steel (I think) pulled in front of a southbound train.
A large dump truck loaded with rock or sand sets high enough that the RR crew may not survive. More needs to be done at these dangerous crossings
