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WARNING DEVICES AND A BAD ACCIDENT JimiTrain referred to some crossing as not having any warning devices to warn motorist approaching a grade crossing. It would be assumed “cross buck” signs would be present at every railroad crossing to warn a motorist of an impending railroad crossing. It would also be presumed that most states would prescribe in state statues the requirement of having posted signs to warn motorist of a railroad crossing. In approaching a railroad crossing a motorist would assume the risk when crossing a railroad track since the train itself has the right of way. In another sense lawsuits by motorist who have had collisions with trains tries to prove otherwise. If someone wants to require signal devices, as in flashing lights and crossing gates, at every grade crossing, then who pays the railroad and the local government or just one of the entity’s? The busiest of grade crossings will usually get the flashing signals and cross gates. Recently near Augusta, Kans. BNSF has installed new signal lights and crossing gates on two grade crossings. The roads leading up to the crossings are gravel and are not very well traveled. This is on the BNSF’s transcontinental line from LA to Chicago. Several years ago two people were killed at one of the crossings, a grandfather and his granddaughter. On two private crossings of the BNSF transcontinental line near Augusta stop signs have been erected for vehicles crossing the tracks. Everyone has their crossing accident stories and this story is probably no different. I was in junior high when one accident happened and it really sticks in ones mind after viewing the car. In the 1960’s a Corvette was traveling on a paved road at a high rate of speed toward the main line of the Katy Railroad. This was on the north edge of Parsons, Kansas. It was moonless night when the Corvette passed under a tank car. The conductor on the caboose related that he saw the highlights of the car pass from one side of the train to the other. It was as though the car passed through the train. The car continued down the road as the car slowed and then rolled into the ditch along side of the road. The top of the Corvette was sheared off but the rest of the car was barely damaged. The two male occupants of the car were decapitated. My dad and I went to look at the Corvette as many other curious people did when it was brought to a local salvage lot. The crossing did not have any flashing light signal or crossing arm gates. It had the cross buck warning sign for a railroad crossing and that was all. Needless to say shortly after the accident warning lights and crossing arm gates were installed. Today the same road is now a by-pass around the north side of Parsons for US 400 highway. A bridge has been constructed to go over the now Union Pacific (formerly Katy) tracks.
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