Commuter train and Fed Ex truck in Utah
- Thread starter Dan O
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KmH
Conductor
Yes, thankfully no one got hurt.
I drove a big rig truck for several years and always looked both ways before crossing railroad tracks - just in case the lights and crossing arms were malfunctioning.
I still do today when driving my car.
"Plan for the worst. Hope for the best."
I drove a big rig truck for several years and always looked both ways before crossing railroad tracks - just in case the lights and crossing arms were malfunctioning.
I still do today when driving my car.
"Plan for the worst. Hope for the best."
Interesting statements and questions to be answered.
A) Gate failed in down position.
B) 12 minutes of block traffic.
C) Signal maintainer on scene.
D) Dispatch of trains notification?
E) Who sent the maintainer?
F) Why did the train not stop to flag?
The short story is going to be that the signal maintainer turn off the grade protection system, which caused the accident. The long story is why there was so many points of failure that occur before the train slammed into the truck.
The amount of errors that are required for this type of accident.
Story #1
A few weeks ago the at grade crossing near the beef plant in Liberal KS, one of the arms got damage in a wind storm. I call it in, and found out they had already been notified. The maintainer was enroute, but several trains got there before the maintainer. While the trains did not stop and flag, all were going at a restricted speed and blowing the horn hard as they approached that crossing. Other than one of the arm broken off the light were flashing as normal.
Story #2
A CSX train is order to park on a siding in Fonda NY. Conductor dismount and walk over to the grade crossing control to turn off the circuit for the track that he is on. He flip the switch but the arms stay down and light keep flashing. So he flips the other two switches, and the light go out and the arms go up. Car cross on to the track, and get T-boned by a train on another track. (Three track in town). Driver was killed.
A) Gate failed in down position.
B) 12 minutes of block traffic.
C) Signal maintainer on scene.
D) Dispatch of trains notification?
E) Who sent the maintainer?
F) Why did the train not stop to flag?
The short story is going to be that the signal maintainer turn off the grade protection system, which caused the accident. The long story is why there was so many points of failure that occur before the train slammed into the truck.
The amount of errors that are required for this type of accident.
Story #1
A few weeks ago the at grade crossing near the beef plant in Liberal KS, one of the arms got damage in a wind storm. I call it in, and found out they had already been notified. The maintainer was enroute, but several trains got there before the maintainer. While the trains did not stop and flag, all were going at a restricted speed and blowing the horn hard as they approached that crossing. Other than one of the arm broken off the light were flashing as normal.
Story #2
A CSX train is order to park on a siding in Fonda NY. Conductor dismount and walk over to the grade crossing control to turn off the circuit for the track that he is on. He flip the switch but the arms stay down and light keep flashing. So he flips the other two switches, and the light go out and the arms go up. Car cross on to the track, and get T-boned by a train on another track. (Three track in town). Driver was killed.
Devil's Advocate
Sarcastic Misanthrope
I came across a broken crossing signal once upon a time. Someone had apparently run into it and then simply laid the broken pieces against the remaining structure. At a glance it appeared to be fine but while I was spotting the area a train came through and half the structure suddenly fell off as the device attempted to spring into motion. I called the phone number on the reporting placard but instead of reaching the railroad I was connected to a Texas Highway Patrol clerk. Even with a clear description including the location code and cross streets they still had no idea what I was talking about. Made me wonder what use these people would be if a commercial truck or other serious blockage was stuck on the tracks. Seems like there could be a substantial delay while they tried to figure out what was being called in, where the problem was, what needed to be done, and who to tell about it.
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Metra Electric Rider
OBS Chief
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2016
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- 986
Wasn't there a UTA crash a week or two before this, also at a grade crossing?
trainman74
Conductor
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