Amtrak Collisions near Tampa

[I always rode the Southern]

I was looking for info on this story being reported now, though it happened yesterday?

http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2015/08/24/amtrak-train-crashes-into-vehicle-dover/32288549/

when I came across this one from last week which I don't remember hearing about here or on the news

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/29807324/1-person-killed-when-amtrak-collides-with-car-in-auburndale

 

[pennyk]

Both incidents made the news in Orlando.

There were posts on OTOL about both.

http://www.on-track-on-line.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=59991

http://www.on-track-on-line.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60119

 

[afigg]

I was looking for info on this story being reported now, though it happened yesterday?

when I came across this one from last week which I don't remember hearing about here or on the news

The August 24 collision in Dover, FL explains why #92(8/24) is currently 7 hours late departing Raleigh.

I have not researched the FRA stats, but Florida appears to have a significantly disproportionate number of grade crossing collisions involving Amtrak, given that Florida only has 3 daily Amtrak trains. The Carolinas may not be that far behind, but NC has an extensive grade separation effort underway thanks to the HSIPR stimulus grants and the state's own efforts to improve grade crossing safety at many crossings. For Florida, the grade crossing collision news reports all too frequently state that the driver drove around lowered crossing gates. Tough to stop without quad gates, but that's expensive with so many crossings on the CSX route. So it is going to continue.

Edit: fixed the dates.

 

[SteveSFL]

From the photos in the news story and a quick Google maps/stree-view search, it appears to have happened at a non-gated private crossing entrance to an Auto Auction.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Tough to stop without quad gates, but that's expensive with so many crossings on the CSX route. So it is going to continue.

Maybe if we didn't insist on only using a single outdated design at great cost to taxpayers the ability to add more gates would be cheaper and easier to implement. From what I remember past studies have indicated that this is mostly a mental problem. A productive barrier doesn't need to physically prevent access or even need to physically damage an approaching car. It just needs to employ unavoidable dividers that will touch the top or side of a vehicle when protecting the crossing and be dependable enough that drivers trust it.

 

[west point]

Correct about Florida. It may be the drivers. Sun Rail is really having a time and if there weren't heavy police patrols it would be worse. Witnessed at one crossing that 4 different policemen had cars pulled over giving tickets for grade crossing violations. And it ain't cheap.