In a semi-rural area of Sioux City a driver apparently attempted to drive around a crossing gate, but there was a stopped train across the road. It happened around 9am, so darkness was not a factor. There is a sweeping turn not very far before the crossing, but the area is open and the train should have been visible long before the curve.
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/man-dead-after-car-collides-with-train-on-north-side/article_2be1cf5c-25bb-5cc1-b28f-80abd5ba08e9.html
Just an uninformed guess, but I would not be surprised if there was a medical crisis involved.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Phoebe Vet Just an uninformed guess, but I would not be surprised if there was a medical crisis involved.
Or a cell phone. There is a curve there (N 42 31' 22" W 96 22' 1"), and it looks like trees and bushes might partially obscure one's view of the tracks when northbound. Still, speed was a factor, and it appears he had the presence of mind to drive around the gates.
It's an isolated area - not much there but a junkyard - and a nice, straight stretch of road. He might have been trying out his car to see what it would do... And might have missed the crossarm because he was coming around the curve too quickly.
Regardless - he's gone.
Curious, but in a different vein, is what someone must have thought was going to be a busy intersection nearby - N 42 31' 8" W 96 22' 43"
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I am nominating that idiot for a Darwin Award on 2 counts. 1. The crossing arms were down and he went around them. 2. The train was right there in front of him. OOPS!!! Score, train 1 idiot driver 0.
I think the most obvious conclusion is that it was a suicide.
Backshop I think the most obvious conclusion is that it was a suicide.
One morning, as I was going to work, I came to a "T" intersection. There was a power pole right in the middle of what would have been the road I was on, had the road continued on. It looked to me that someone on a motorcycle had run into that pole. I wondered, "Did the rider intentionally hit that pole?"
Johnny
caldreamerI am nominating that idiot for a Darwin Award on 2 counts. 1. The crossing arms were down and he went around them. 2. The train was right there in front of him. OOPS!!! Score, train 1 idiot driver 0.
I'm not sure I totally agree, and I don't necessarily agree with the suicide angle, although it does make a certain degree of sense.
If you look at that location via the lat/lon I provided, you'll see trees between the road and the tracks - in fact, the crossing itself is obscured for a while.
The road itself is straight as an arrow, until you get to the curve at the crossing.
I find it hard to believe that someone could have the presence of mind to dodge the gates and not notice that railroad car immediately beyond it.
Which takes me back to the idea that he was trying out his hot car and found his way blocked. The news reports did say speed was a factor. If he was busy trying to video himself at the time (or was texting, or posting on a social site, or talking on the phone), he may have been distracted enough to run into the train. In the process, I suspect he not so much drove around the gates as simply missed them.
Or, he did it intentially. Maybe the auto parts yard has video from a surveillance system...
tree68I find it hard to believe that someone could have the presence of mind to dodge the gates and not notice that railroad car immediately beyond it.
Larry,
I am reminded of a line I will never forget. In 1951 when I was 16 and a new driver, I was driving in Indianapolis to pick up my Dad. I was in the second lane from the curb and a Cadillac was in the curb lane preparing to turn right at a stop light. Light turned green, Caddy started its turn and I started up and I misjudged my distance and hit (at about four mph) the Cadillac with my Dads Ford. Put a little dent in the Caddy but a big Fish tail in the Fords frount right fender. Victim pulled across the intersection and stopped alongside the curb and I pulled up behind, got out and walked up to his passenger door. He (low 20s age) looked up at me from the window and said in a plaintive voice "Can't you see a thing as big as a car?" I have never found a good answer.
At 9 AM, how can you not see something as big as a box car?
If you aren't paying attention, you would be amazed at what you don't see.
CSSHEGEWISCH If you aren't paying attention, you would be amazed at what you don't see.
There's a video on youtube which tasks you with counting how many times the players in white pass the ball. While you are intensly focused on this task, someone in a gorilla suit comes on and dances. It's a similar situation if you're focused on your phone.
Eventually, these people will learn that the train always wins. It's kinda like playing poker in Vegas: you might get lucky some of the time, but eventually, the house is going to clean you out. Smashing, isn't it.
An artist sees the world in colors and patterns. An engineer sees the world in mathematical equations. Both help shape the World and are just as important as the other.
BrassBootleg Smashing, isn't it.
Good pun.
Electroliner 1935 BrassBootleg Smashing, isn't it. Good pun.
I thought so! But seriously - and this is the nerd in me coming out - but train wrecks are absolutely amazingly interesting. And not people getting hurt, loss of life, loss of property, I don't mean any of that. But the forces and factors involved in the collusion. From the moment of impact of train into car, there's enough forward force that then explodes into directional force to break a part diamonds. Of course if you strapped a diamond to a car and slammed a train into it, the diamond would shoot through the metal like a bullet because the metal of the car isn't hard enough to stop that diamond.
There's enough friction between of all of the wheels on the train and the rails to produce enough heat to melt soft metals such as aluminium (if it were to be concentrated). Friction is a constant force, no matter what you consider, friction is being applied. And of course as train enthusiats that we are, we know this. However did you know that the force of the combined air resistance applied to the front of the train at the moment of impact is enough to snap a human spine?
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