Amtrak trains vs pedestrians or motor vehicles; accidents/fatalities

[alpha3]

They weren't walking on the tracks, they were lying on them, and hugged each other as the train approached. Clearly a suicide pact, IMO.

The story was updated after I posted it

Holy god........sheesh, what a way to go. Sad.

I agree the news makes it seem Amtrak is at fault with its wording,

Yes, it's like, 'blame the train' in full caps and bold headline. Brightline, TriRail, Amtrak all get headlines for this stuff in south Florida, seemingly faulting the train; never mind it's usually the victims' fault.

 

[StanJazz]

The Empire Builder delayed.

Trains Halted After Person Struck by Metra Near Morton Grove

 

[MIrailfan]

3 dead, 2 injured after Amtrak train collides with car in California: Officials

 

[jis]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: A separate thread has been created for the South West Chief derailment:

South West Chief Derailment

A friend of mine who works in Amtrak ops said #4 hit a truck and I see 4 (25) is now in Service Disruption, 81 miles east of Kansas City. He said it may be a bad one. A story to follow for sure.

www.amtraktrains.com

All South West Chief derailment related posts to the new thread please.

Thank you for your understanding, cooperation and participation

 

[Willbridge]

At 6:30 in the video, a motorist angrily backs up and takes off to the next crossing, rather than wait for a 4-car LRT train. Denver drivers include some who are no smarter than elsewhere. The same chance to wait for a train applies at the next crossing.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I saw elsewhere a statistic, purportedly from the NTSB that a train hits a pedestrian or vehicle every two hours. That's actually rather scary.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

And another one.

2 dead after trying to beat train while fleeing drag racing scene

The man and woman in their 20s were in a vehicle fleeing a drag racing scene in Detroit.

www.mlive.com

 

[John819]

A Metro North engineer told me that on the first day of her training the instructor said "Now when you hit someone..." That got the class's attention.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Geez, another one.

A motorist was killed after an Amtrak train collided with a vehicle at crossing in Birmingham, Alabama, officials say

One person was killed after an Amtrak train collided with a passenger vehicle in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, according to officials. It is the nation's third accident involving Amtrak trains in a two-day period.

www.cnn.com

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Geez, another one.

A motorist was killed after an Amtrak train collided with a vehicle at crossing in Birmingham, Alabama, officials say

One person was killed after an Amtrak train collided with a passenger vehicle in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, according to officials. It is the nation's third accident involving Amtrak trains in a two-day period.

www.cnn.com

Whaaaa!!! I don't believe it! It's like people are tempting fate?

Or are these just getting reported more widely because, like you know.

 

[zetharion]

Getting reported more widely to drum up the maximum hate against Amtrak and how its a dangerous way to travel.

 

[StanJazz]

Another one yesterday. From the time it happened it probably was the Hiawatha #340.

Pedestrian Stuck, Killed By Amtrak Train In Glenview: Police

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene of the Friday evening incident.

patch.com

 

[AmtrakBlue]

And today (7/2/22) 57(2) Vermonter hits a person. Someone on FB mentioned a protestor.

Person struck, killed by Amtrak train in Holyoke

Amtrak's Public Relations Manager says the person was allegedly trespassing on the tracks before being struck

www.westernmassnews.com

 

[MARC Rider]

And today (7/2/22) 57(2) Vermonter hits a person. Someone on FB mentioned a protestor.

Person struck, killed by Amtrak train in Holyoke

Amtrak's Public Relations Manager says the person was allegedly trespassing on the tracks before being struck

www.westernmassnews.com

The last line of the article was priceless: "The train began on the move again within hours."

Wonder what time it got into Washington?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The last line of the article was priceless: "The train began on the move again within hours."

Wonder what time it got into Washington?

About 30 mins late - in and out of NYP in 7 mins.

 

[mitako]

A long time ago, I knew a man who committed suicide by lying down on the train tracks in front of an oncoming Amtrak, would have been the Surfliner, I think. A terrible and angry way to commit suicide; he was only 29 years old, was having marital troubles, and left behind two very young sons. I wonder how many of the "pedestrians" who are killed by trains are intentional. And of course, likely a lot of them are under the influence of something or wearing earbuds with music loud. But it's hard to imagine not hearing or feeling a train bearing down on you, either way.

 

[jpakala]

A young man was killed by a train coming from behind as he walked down the center of the track looking at his iPhone and with loud music playing in his ears. This was in a suburb near us with lots of streets and sidewalks and the section of track was between cross streets. Parents sued Amtrak and Union Pacific, claiming fences were needed. But he entered the tracks from one of the streets where fences wouldn't be present anyway. I don't know how it turned out, for such events are reported in local news when they occur and that's usually the last the public hears. As to trucks getting hit, often it's because they get stuck on tracks, such as the Brightline train hitting that long car-carrying trailer truck. When the Amtrak special carrying many from Congress (headed to a WV resort) hit a truck it was because the truck failed to stop. I think in that case it was on a fairly steep downhill incline approaching the track.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

A young man was killed by a train coming from behind as he walked down the center of the track looking at his iPhone and with loud music playing in his ears. This was in a suburb near us with lots of streets and sidewalks and the section of track was between cross streets. Parents sued Amtrak and Union Pacific, claiming fences were needed.

Sounds like better parenting was needed. The implication that we should spend vast sums in an effort to make it physically impossible for careless people to harm themselves is anathema to my views. Whatever happened to self-reliance and personal responsibility? Coddling is a death sentence if we're honest.

As to trucks getting hit, often it's because they get stuck on tracks, such as the Brightline train hitting that long car-carrying trailer truck. When the Amtrak special carrying many from Congress (headed to a WV resort) hit a truck it was because the truck failed to stop. I think in that case it was on a fairly steep downhill incline approaching the track.

Outside of a few special situations with optical illusions most high-centered trucks look like they ignored an obvious incline and should have gotten out to confirm they were safe before crossing.

 

[Willbridge]

Cross with caution: Lack of oversight creates safety risks at private railroad crossings

www.msn.com

An in-depth article from USA Today about this subset of crossing accidents. The June Brentwood, California accident was at a private crossing.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Sounds like better parenting was needed. The implication that we should spend vast sums in an effort to make it physically impossible for careless people to harm themselves is anathema to my views. Whatever happened to self-reliance and personal responsibility? Coddling is a death sentence if we're honest.


Outside of a few special situations with optical illusions most high-centered trucks look like they ignored an obvious incline and should have gotten out to confirm they were safe before crossing.

When the Lincoln Service tracks in my town were upgraded for high-speed rail, fences were added all along both sides of the tracks within village limits, and crossing gates were added at all pedestrian crossings as well. This was partly because grade-school kids have to cross those tracks walking to and from school (although I would agree that teenagers and adults ought not need that degree of coddling). Also as a result of the high-speed rail upgrade to the tracks, all students who lived North of the train tracks were now deemed eligible to ride a school bus, even if they lived closer than the old "more than 2 miles away" requirement, because the high-speed trains were considered a pedestrian road hazard.

 

[alpha3]

Sounds like better parenting was needed. The implication that we should spend vast sums in an effort to make it physically impossible for careless people to harm themselves is anathema to my views. Whatever happened to self-reliance and personal responsibility? Coddling is a death sentence if we're honest.

Totally agree; I watched a similar scene to this unfold before me one day; sitting on a bus bench talking on my phone. Clueless kid walking along, appeared to be texting and had earbuds in. The light changed, Mr Clueless kept right on walking against the light and was nearly run over and killed. Car slammed on its brakes in the nick of time and stopped just short of the guy. Hopefully that near-death experience will make the dude more cautious, but - who knows.

 

[joelkfla]

Totally agree; I watched a similar scene to this unfold before me one day; sitting on a bus bench talking on my phone. Clueless kid walking along, appeared to be texting and had earbuds in. The light changed, Mr Clueless kept right on walking against the light and was nearly run over and killed. Car slammed on its brakes in the nick of time and stopped just short of the guy. Hopefully that near-death experience will make the dude more cautious, but - who knows.

More likely, he'll be on social media complaining about the reckless driver.

 

[Maelstrom]

2 injured in Amtrak train collision with excavator in East Oakland 7/15/22​

 

[MARC Rider]

2 injured in Amtrak train collision with excavator in East Oakland 7/15/22​

--And the hits just keep on coming.......

 

[pennyk]

Moderator Note: Posts pertaining to Burma Shave roadside signs were moved to a new thread in the AU Lounge:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/burma-shave-roadside-signs.82589/