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DAVIS trucking looses evidence dispute to AMTRAK & UP
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<p>[quote user="erikem"]</p> <p> <blockquote> <div><img src="/TRCCS/Themes/trc/images/icon-quote.gif" /> <strong>Bucyrus:</strong></div> <div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size:small;">Last summer, during the thread, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Is Amtrak Crash Nevada’s Fault?</span>, I had some communications with Nevada DOT, and I was told that they were committed to public communication on the accident regardless of the legal ramifications.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>After I sent them my analysis showing a total warning for the truck driver of 2.9 seconds, they did not answer any further communications from me.</span></span></p> <p> </p> </blockquote> </p> <p>The Reno Gazette Journal article linked at the beginning of this thread had a related article on the Nevada DOT <span style="text-decoration: underline;">NOT</span> making any changes to that crossing since the accident. One possible reason that comes to mind is that making any sort of change would qualify as an admission of liability (note that this is from a very cynical view of the tort system in the US and may have no relation with the motives of the Nevada DOT).</p> <p>- Erik</p> <div style="clear:both;"></div> <p>[/quote]</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">Erik,</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">The article you are referring to must be the one linked directly above by blue streak1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a very interesting article, and quite interestingly, it mentions the occurrence of another near miss at the crossing last April.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is here:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://www.rgj.com/article/20120624/NEWS49/306240059/Nevada-has-made-no-changes-intersection-where-truck-crashed-into-Amtrak-train-killing-6?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CLocal%20News&nclick_check=1"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.rgj.com/article/20120624/NEWS49/306240059/Nevada-has-made-no-changes-intersection-where-truck-crashed-into-Amtrak-train-killing-6?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CLocal%20News&nclick_check=1</span></span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think there is a good chance that you are correct in your speculation on why Nevada had decided not to improve the warning at the crossing of the 6/24/11 crash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">In reading the latest position of the Nevada DOT, I am convinced that they are stubbornly digging their heels in to resist improving the crossing warning because doing so would be a tantamount admission that the crossing was/is inadequately protected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would be admitting their own negligence, and that would be a hot potato in view of all the litigation underway on the crash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it has placed them into bureaucratic gridlock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">How else can you explain their insistence that the crossing is adequately protected in view of not only last year’s fatal crash, but also the near miss in 9/2010 and another one last April?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to those three incidents suggesting inadequate crossing warning, locomotive engineer Ron Kaminkow has spoken out on behalf of his union about the inadequate protection of the crossing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to protect railroaders from a defective crossing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: small;">As the article reports, in the wake of last year’s fatal crash, Nevada DOT conducted a study of about a half dozen grade crossings on their highest speed roads to see if the crossing protection was adequate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So obviously, they acknowledge the question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they see no problem with those high-speed crossings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it is possible to look at this warning issue in a number of different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One way can blind you to the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely highway and safety experts must have a handle on this, but I wonder if they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p>
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