We had that same Amtrak unit on our departure from Durand, MI, July 31, right behind 4449's auxiliary tender. When I attempted to open the 27 point MU receptical cover, the whole housing area was still packed full of granular automobile windshield glass! We then realized which unit we had gotten as our HEP power supply/helper. Not a happy scene.
Location: Western Springs, IL | Registered:: August 06, 2004
I have suggested several times that instead of flashing red lights at railroad grade crossings install regular three position red amber green traffic lights just like the ones at road intersections. According to my drivers manual a red flashing light at an intersection means stop and then go, the same as a stop sign. If this is the case just install stop signs at railroad grade crossings.
Location: Mamaroneck, NY | Registered:: September 01, 2008
I feel that they only way to stop people from going around the gates, like in this accident, is to put the gates across all lanes of traffic, with the "second" set going down slightly after the main set (to allow traffic to exit the crossing). As for "non-gated" crossings, perhaps using conventional traffic lights would be better. Most drivers, I believe, are conditioned to obey traffic lights.
Stuart
The light at the end of the tunnel is the headlight of an on coming train!
Location: Long Island | Registered:: April 05, 2007
Originally posted by ed new haven line:According to my drivers manual a red flashing light at an intersection means stop and then go, the same as a stop sign.
Your driver's manual also says that you must STOP for flashing lights at a railroad crossing...which, obviously, is also not an "intersection" as you suggest.
Still, maybe traffic lights would be better--although maybe useless in this case....
Steve
Location: Wake Forest, NC, U.S.A. | Registered:: January 30, 2001
I don't think we should change a thing. You could spend millions changing crossing signals to a new type, but you just can't fix stupid.
Thank you for posting the video - very powerful reminder of what NOT to do at a crossing. Too bad that these kids had to pay for that lesson with their lives.
Location: Wadsworth, OH | Registered:: June 04, 2006
Originally posted by Blystovski: I don't think we should change a thing. You could spend millions changing crossing signals to a new type, but you just can't fix stupid.
Thank you for posting the video - very powerful reminder of what NOT to do at a crossing. Too bad that these kids had to pay for that lesson with their lives.
No, we can't fix "stupid", but what we as a society should be doing is separating grade, or making every level crossing in high traffic / high speed areas totally protected so that people cannot go around gates as was done here.
Instead of pi$$ing away money on study after study for high speed rail (which does nothing but enrich transit consultant companies), take that money and build under and overpasses, or four quadrant gates (or whatevertheheck they call it) so that stupid crap like this does not happen. IIRC, this line is one that is supposed to be part of the "high speed corridor" between Chicago and Detroit. How the heck can you have any sort of safe high speed unless access between rail and road is totally secured?
Originally posted by firefighter25dfd: Here is a link to the in cab video of the fatal accident in Canton, Michigan. Prayers go out to the crew during such a traumatic event like this. http://www.detnews.com/article...nton-train-car-crash
When I clicked the link I got this warning from McAfee:
ads.pubmatic.com/AdServer/js/syncuppixels.html may cause a breach of browser security. Why were you redirected to this page? When we tested, this site attempted to make unauthorized changes to our test PC by exploiting a browser security vulnerability. This is a serious security threat which could lead to an infection of your PC.
OLDGUYFROMNJ
Location: New Jersey, the Garden State - growing more shopping malls to the acre! We stand behind Miss Liberty! | Registered:: January 11, 2006
The truly sad part is that 4 kids lost their lives due to the drivers stupidity. It's one thing to kill yourself with stupidity, but he killed 4 others. Imagine how his parents feel knowing that. Not to mention the inevitable lawsuits if as I suspect the car was owned by his parents.
If you stop the video just before impact you can see the gates are down and the car is coming up the left lane around the gate and beginning to swerve back to the right lane to clear the gate on the other side. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!!!!
Originally posted by Kent Loudon: When I clicked the link I got this warning from McAfee:
ads.pubmatic.com/AdServer/js/syncuppixels.html may cause a breach of browser security. Why were you redirected to this page? When we tested, this site attempted to make unauthorized changes to our test PC by exploiting a browser security vulnerability. This is a serious security threat which could lead to an infection of your PC.
Here's a copy on YouTube. Bigger picture, no lag, and no "WTF?" messages from your antivirus (that I know of).
Probably the only way to stop this would be to put up gates over both lanes of traffic on both sides of the track. Sadly, I don't think this will happen, due to the expense which would come from this.
Location: Palmerton, Pa | Registered:: September 21, 2007
The only way to prevent any vehicle from crossing tracks is to use a barrier system. I've seen them in Japan when I was there in 2005. They completely cross all lanes of traffic, so it's impossible to go around. They would, of course be VERY expensive to install on all crossings-- So I guess that these tragedies will continue .
William Pickert "A day without trains is a day wasted"
Location: Boca Raton,FL USA | Registered:: January 30, 2001
Sad event. A very stupid mistake by the young driver that cost 4 lives. In my town they just installed lane barriers so you can't go around the gate. In other words you have a high concrete abutment between the lanes just before and up to the gate. If the gate goes down you have to just sit there. When I first saw thse installed I believed that they were a waste but it does prevent people from making stupid mistakes that could be fatal. The odd thing is that the engine was sounding the horn and the gates were down, the lights blinking. You just wonder what this guy was thinking. Perhaps he loved being a daredevil.
Location: Hillsborough, NJ USA | Registered:: April 26, 2004
Seems like a lot of properties are doing this nowadays, probably in part due to lawsuits saying that the gates weren't working, as well as trying to catch any possible rule violations. The nice thing is, if you are following the rules and something happens, the cameras can be your best friend.
Location: Eugene, OR | Registered:: October 12, 2002
Why is there a camera in the cab shooting video? That's easy. Ambulance chasers.
The railroads have been raked over the coals so many times in court trying to prove that the gates were down, that the engineer WAS blowing the horn, etc. that almost all the Class 1's along with Amtrak are now using these video cameras.
In this case, it is plainly obvious that the gates were down, the horn was being sounded and the driver drove around the gates. Without that camera, the lawyers would have a field day in court with this one. With the camera's evidence, they've got nothing but an idiot driver that killed himself and four other innocent people with no fault of the railroad.
In eastern Connecticut, there are several gate-"controlled" grade crossings on the Acela high-speed line. It is my understanding that the locals don't want overpasses becuase it would adversely affect the appearance of their "beautiful" towns.
Location: Fairfax Station VA USA | Registered:: October 14, 2002
Originally posted by OGR Webmaster: Why is there a camera in the cab shooting video? That's easy. Ambulance chasers.
The railroads have been raked over the coals so many times in court trying to prove that the gates were down, that the engineer WAS blowing the horn, etc. that almost all the Class 1's along with Amtrak are now using these video cameras.
In this case, it is plainly obvious that the gates were down, the horn was being sounded and the driver drove around the gates. Without that camera, the lawyers would have a field day in court with this one. With the camera's evidence, they've got nothing but an idiot driver that killed himself and four other innocent people with no fault of the railroad.
True enough. BTW, the trademark of the loco cab cams I've seen is Silent Witness. Between the cameras and 64 channel event recorders, BS lawsuits against railroads get trashed QUICKLY
You say they're On The Water, I say they're Sur l'eau.
In my town they just installed lane barriers so you can't go around the gate. In other words you have a high concrete abutment between the lanes just before and up to the gate. If the gate goes down you have to just sit there.
I think this may be the cheapest way to solve the problem. Either use the cement barriers or extend the gates to cover the entire road.
What a terrible shame.
2 railer but respectful to 3 railers! Happy Railroading Everyone! Stilll waiting for 1:48 scaled autos.... Phil Gatto
Location: Central,NJ | Registered:: October 31, 2000
In TX, some cities have red light cameras. However, one city near Dallas has them for some highway-rail crossings where people run the lights-gates.....
Location: Houston TX | Registered:: April 14, 2007
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