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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by JoeKoh I would have to say so now.I checked out the sullivan press journal news.dated july 5 .After looking at the editorial Mr. pines and missouri are one in the same. stay safe joe [/quote] I think you're right. Check it out. The Barnstable Patriot Letters Section http://www.barnstablepatriot.com/04-11-03-news/letters.html [quote]QUOTE: Railroaded on private crossings Buses would be better to take vehicles off the road because they're not glued to a track. This is about a oxymoron statement: "requires approval from the state for a private grade crossing of the rail line." (Crossings could derail return of rail service, March 28). Has the Constitution been changed and the people not told? There are no statutes Federal or state on private crossings anywhere in the United States. Legally, railroads don't even need to put up a sign. They don't have to remove sight obstructions, they don't even blow the whistles at the close to 98,000 private crossings in the U.S., which is well over a third of the total. When you come up with what a legal private crossing is, please let me know. I had a family member killed at a 79 percent sight-obstructed private crossing with no train whistles. While you're at it, ask the Governor why there are thousands of "public" crossings in the United States that fail the minimum FHWA requirements in the chart http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TA/ProgMgt/Grants/Sight_Eng.pdf . By the way, the Stop sign in the picture on your news article was put in by the railroad. It has no legal meaning! A person needs no driver's license on a private road. The railroads just stick them in at private crossings so they can point their finger when they blindside somebody. The railroad people who installed it have no degree in traffic engineering. Are the sight lines there from 15' to 50' from the near rail of the crossing to see the train according to the track speed? The state doesn't even know the track speed because the robber baron railroads set their own and it sure ain't to the sight lines at the crossings. It's so the trains don't fly off the track. For example, you stop and can see 250 feet, say. The chart says you need to see 1,450 feet for a 90-mph Amtrak. You pull across and about that time the Amtrak comes out from behind the curtain 250' away. The cops write it up as "failed to stop" when in reality you are caught in a traffic trap which couldn't be better designed if they tried. Robert Pines Sullivan, Mo [/quote] Hmm...where have we seen a reference to that State of Washington DOT diagram? http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TA/ProgMgt/Grants/Sight_Eng.pdf. It's sad that this person lost a family member in a crossing accident. It would explain the bitterness towards railroads. But please take your crusade to crucify the railroads somewhere else. It's not welcome nor wanted here. [quote]QUOTE: While you're at it, ask the Governor why there are thousands of "public" crossings in the United States that fail the minimum FHWA requirements in the chart [/quote] I can tell you the answer to that. The chart your referencing is being referenced out of context. It's part of a larger document which is Local Agency Guidelines for the State of Washington -- not the entire United States. Those are recommendations being made to help improve safety at crossings. Check out my response in the other thread: http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5822#30111 Some other intersting links to letters/opinions by Robert Pines of Sullivan, MO http://www.fftimes.com/index.php/1/2003-07-04/14488/262 http://www.jacksonvilleprogress.com/articles/2003/04/15/opinion/opinion01.txt http://www.examiner.net/stories/122102/ope_122102028.shtml http://www.pressjournalnews.com/publish/article_435.shtml http://www.examiner.net/stories/042203/ope_042203019.shtml http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/06/20/3d11d614e0d13 This one is out there... http://www.theindependent.com/stories/040503/opi_lett05.shtml [quote]QUOTE: Questions whether train accident was suicide This is in regards to the story "Autopsy ordered after train fatality at Gibbon; investigation indicates possible suicide." So the railroad runs up and sticks a Web page in the dead man's car or what? It amazes me trains have three collisions a year in Buffalo County and investigators can say this man committed suicide. How fast was the train going? What kind of crossing protection was there? Where was the sun? Was it raining, foggy, snowing? What did the event recorder on the train say about speed, whistles, brakes, running lights? What did the black box in the equipment housing have if there was crossing equipment there? Did the equipment work? What were the sight lines? Did the driver's brakes fail? Did his accelerator stick? Did his vehicle stall? Did the vehicle get a tire off the edge and become hung up? Any outside security cameras showing the crossing area? Did the driver black out? Did the driver have a heart attack? Were there trees in front of the crossing equipment? Were there vehicles parked in front of the crossing equipment? Was there a rise or fall in the road where the driver comes up on the crossing without having time to stop? Was there another train parked or passing through the area at the same time? Was the driver shoved into the crossing by another vehicle? Was he knocked unconscious and parked on the crossing? In other words how did you come up with suicide? I could sit right hear with a Web cam and tell the U.P. train, "Hey there is a vehicle parked at the Pawnee Road crossing." Where Pawnee Road is listed in the FRA data base in Buffalo County I have no idea. The man must have built the crossing to commit suicide at. Robert Pines Sullivan, Mo. [/quote]
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