Geez... I really hate the journalists in our city. Every one of them are focused on the tragety of 3 teens dying at a train crossing and glossing over the fact that the idiot driver went around the gates, ignored the flashing lights and ignored the blaring horn of the train, so he could kill himself, his live-in girlfriend, and his brother.
Here's the Comical's version {not too bad of a version for our joke of a newspaper}: Comical's version of train-car accident Posted by Robert L (Member # 3144) on :
Sad when anyone's life ends, especially when it could have so easily been avoided, an "ounce of prevention," as our parents, and maybe their parents too, would say. But, these teens were probably just following the lead of many of their adults, who act this way all the time. Also following the lead of our political leadership in Washington and many state capitals.
Not understanding what is really coming down the track, ignoring the warning signals, moving around the built in safeguards, thinking they are above the laws of God and nature, hoping against hope that if they can just reach the "other side" they will live to fight another day. Well these three, and countless others, have now reached the "other side," may they rest in peace.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Allow me to share a recent experience of which I posted at another Forum.
In this case, the "perp" in all likelihood is college educated as has "a lot to live for":
While waiting for #3(10) to pass with TO Member RailCity aboard, I observed an incident 'too close for my blood".
I was sitting under the canopy on the EB shed at W. Hinsdale MP 17.89 when here comes a jogger. Moments after I observed him, on go the signals (Stough St) and down go the gates. Within sight was BNSF P123710 (that's today's 230 Burlington in peopleese).
Well rather than breaking his stride, this fellow proceeds to X the tracks. The BNSF Engineer gives him a blast, he gives a wave back. He was not more than 100 feet from UNOWAT.
What a jackass!!!!!!!
The gates were working: a sign stating "$500 fine for any motor vehicle or pedestrian violating RRXG signals" is clearly posted; yet "marathon man" can't be bothered.
There had been trackwork by this place and a 45mph restriction was still in effect. Had authorized speed of 70mph been allowed, there would have been a splatter to which I would have been witness.
OK, we really don't have an obesity epidemic here in my upscale Chicago suburb (when I passed through Osceola IA a week ago and stopped at Mickey D I sure noticed it), but we also have Village ordinances. Well, since he was slogging away to ensure he does not become an obesity statistic, I guess they don't apply to this fellow. Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
I find it curious that the engineer backed up 285 feet to try to dislodge the car. Obviously we are not in full possession of the facts, but my initial reaction to that is "what if even more damage is caused whilst doing so?". Again, I'm not criticising the poor engineer, but just wondering why.
Geoff M.
Posted by 20th Century (Member # 2196) on :
Geoff it is reported that the car was on fire. Maybe the engineer was trying to dislodge the car to avoid a worse catastrophe.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
It explains why the train backed up. The car caught fire and they intended to back away from it. It was caught on the engine. The engineer put out the fire with the fire extinguisher that was on the engine.
This item quite clearly does not blame Amtrak for the accident.
quote:Investigators said the engineer sounded the train's horn and applied its emergency brakes, but was not able to avoid hitting the car.
"The three occupants in the vehicle, two Hispanic males and one Hispanic female, were found to have no signs of life here on the scene," Lt. Daryl Coleman said. .... Witnesses told detectives that the driver went to extreme measures to try to beat the train.
"According to witnesses, as well as the engineer on the train, the driver of the vehicle disregarded the railroad warnings and went through the railroad arms," Coleman said. Blinking lights at the track also warned that a train was on the way.
The train hit the passenger side of the car and pushed it about 2,000 feet down the tracks before the car caught fire.
"The engineer observed that the vehicle had caught fire and attempted to back the train away from the car," Coleman said. "He could not back it away. It actually drug the car back some distance, maybe 100, 150 feet, at which time he stopped, exited the train."
The engineer put the fire out with an extinguisher carried on board the train.
The location was on the former Southern Pacific track, about 10 miles east of the Houston station. It is probably about 1/2 mile east of the point that the speed limit for passenger trains drops from 70 mph to 50 mph. At this location and for several miles each way, the track is on the north side of, parallel, and adjacent to US 90. The terrain is typical South Texas dead flat. Visibility would not have been a problem.
The three are now identified. All high school students, two brothers and the girl friend of the older one. They were neither welfare kids nor criminals, just young and acting stupid. Probably just did not want to wait the 2 minutes for what they likely thought was a 100 car plus freight train.
Posted by 20th Century (Member # 2196) on :
Furthermore....it is not Amtrak that kills at road crossings. It's irrational, stupid behavior. That's how the newspaper topic heading should read. It's very sad for the loss of life.
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
Sorry, George and 20thC - I hadn't registered that fact. Yes, that's a sensible explanation.
Geoff M.
Posted by gp35 (Member # 3971) on :
George the area is highly populated. The tracks are very close to highway 90. There are a few trees and the night time lights makes it hard to distinguish between train and road vehicle. I pass by that intersection all the time. The trains are parked or moving less then 15 mph everytime I go by. I bet the kids were fooled by the speed of the train. Wednesday on my way home from work, I noticed the railroad over pass was blocked by the police. I got a quick glimpse of a truck. Later on the news that night I learned a truck load was too high, hitting the bridge. All rail traffic was stopped until the bridge was inspected. Amtrak was running late which would explain the speed.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
gp35: Thanks for the info. It has been over 20 years since I have been on this road.
From the UP ETT pages that I have, here are their speed limits in the area:
First some reference points: On the Lafayette Subdivision mp 380.1 Beaumont mp 327.7 Dayton Jct. (start Baytown Sub.) mp 338.1 to 341.1 Crosby mp 346.7 to 348.2 Hatchery mp 348.2 to 351.1 Fauna mp 353.0 Dawes
Is this real? zero distance between Hatchery and Fauna?
Speed Limits on Lafayette Sub: Maximu 70P/60F exceptions, only those west of Dayton listed: 327.6 - 342.2 - - 65P60F 342.2 - 343.5 - - 55P/40F 343.5 - 344.2 - - 30P/30F 344.2 - 345.0 - - 55P/40F 345.0 - 352.7 - - 70P/60F 352.7 - 353.0 - - 50P/50F
So, once you get to Dawes, the speed is over. These ETT's are from 2003, so I do not know if UP has speeded up any of this or not, or done such logical stuff as extend the second track some, which in these sheets starts at Dawwes.
Posted by gp35 (Member # 3971) on :
The kids were hit between Fauna and Dawes. Wow, just by the number of unsignal crossings and parked trains, I never would have imagined such fast track speeds in that area.
Posted by gp35 (Member # 3971) on :
The reason Amtrak was running late...
Tractor-trailer stuck under downtown underpass By Jerry Jordan, News Editor Beaumont Police closed off a section of Park Street on Wednesday evening after a tractor-trailer got stuck trying to go underneath the downtown underpass.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m. when the driver tried to maneuver his truck underneath a bridge used by locomotives according to police.
Sgt. Mike Earney said the driver did not have an escort for the oversized load, which was too high, to make it underneath the city’s overpasses. The load consisted of a device used to test the structural integrity of concrete pipe.
“He will receive a citation,” Earney said.
The had to stop all trains from using the bridge until safety crews could evaluate the damage. The street was blocked off for more than two hours.
Earney said a heavy-lift crane was brought in to lift the load off of the tractor-trailer that was stuck and then reloaded.
Posted by 4021North (Member # 4081) on :
According to FRA web page and preliminary reports from NHTSA: In 2006 there were 368 killed in highway/rail incidents; in all motor vehicle traffic crashes the same year, 42,642 were killed.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
