As far as I know, every diesel-powered* Metra train bound for Chicago runs cab-car first in push mode, so the engine is away from the station for ventilation reasons. God knows Metra has lots of grade-crossing incidents but they rarely cause derailments, certainly not spectacular/catastrophic ones like the Metrolink incident.
At 5:30 in the morning, who know what who was thinking. There was a bit on CNN where they said that the gate crossings may have failed. From a different streetview than you depicted, the business right there on the corner has a solid brick/cinder wall. On the track side, it's only brick pylons with chainlink in between. If the whole fence was chain link, then there's a better probability that any driver could see an oncoming train.
Not saying it can't or doesn't happen. Just saying that when you have a heavy mass pushing a lighter mass, the probability of a derailment is greater, in my own opinion. I've seen where Amtrak locos have slammed into 18-wheelers and have only suffered front end damage without derailing. Or some derailments, but still upright.
Reports are that the idiot turned down the tracks and was trying to drive on them before the train entered the picture, so visibility and the crossing gates aren't really relevant.
I don't think that quite takes all the physics into account. I wish I could find it now (I'm sure it's still online, just don't remember how I found it) but I remember reading a study/test results a little while ago of the wheel loading on push/pull trains that were being considered for a particular line in the 1980's (it doesn't matter which line for the purposes of the physics). There's significantly more side to side wheel loading in push configuration, especially through turnouts, where speeds on the line needed to be reduced for trains in push configuration.
I would certainly like to see the analysis, since so far except for using the word Physics several times you have not presented any Physics of anything.
Side loading when there is no track? What exactly are you smoking dude?
When there is no track, essentially all bets are off. And a locomotive that is under brake application is not pushing anything anymore than a car under brake application.
I've ridden on Capitol Corridor when I was in the lead car in push mode. I needed to clear a mistake with how my ticket was lifted, but before I got to one of the conductors, she ducked into the cab and stayed there for several minutes. The California cars often have the door open and the only thing warning people to stay out are flags set up on the seats.
1998
Well, I'm just a dumb airplane engineer. What do I know?
That could cost a lot in time and money, since it will be a separate battle in each state as driver's license seems to be a state issue.
In Chatsworth, California on Lassen Street just south of the Amtrak/Metrolink Station, there are yellow reflective raised pavement markers (aka "Botts Dots") that delineate the edges of the pavement at the grade crossing...both the right shoulder and the left by the center divider and include the space between the two tracks. Quite easily seen, at least at night. The street at this crossing is 2 lanes each direction with a center divider across the grade crossing. The rail line is two tracks at this point.
