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NS collision with auto

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NS collision with auto
Posted by blue streak 1 on Sunday, March 15, 2015 4:32 PM

NS freight with UP locos hits car in Louisville, Ky.  2 killed two injured.  Driver survived and wonder if it was because front of auto might have token brunt of collision ?  Note:  Car was actually in left lane away from train.  At least rail fan was on the side of road away from collision.

http://www.wave3.com/clip/11233386/graphic-video-train-hits-car?clienttype=generic

 

 

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Posted by D.Carleton on Sunday, March 15, 2015 4:40 PM

Even so, with just a slight change in timing that fan could have found that errant auto in his lap after the impact. Grade crossings offer great public access but the "public" makes them a danger.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Sunday, March 15, 2015 4:46 PM

D.Carleton

Even so, with just a slight change in timing that fan could have found that errant auto in his lap after the impact. Grade crossings offer great public access but the "public" makes them a danger.

That's why a person should always stand 25 feet from rail.  don't forget about loose lading.
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Posted by BroadwayLion on Sunday, March 15, 2015 5:42 PM

There were two fans on the scene. One watching (on frame) and the other holding the camera.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Sunday, March 15, 2015 6:08 PM
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Posted by D.Carleton on Monday, March 16, 2015 3:14 AM

blue streak 1
 
D.Carleton

Even so, with just a slight change in timing that fan could have found that errant auto in his lap after the impact. Grade crossings offer great public access but the "public" makes them a danger. 

I am reminded of one of the first tragic video clips to go 'viral' many moons ago from Chicagoland. A pedestrian-in-a-rush darted around the standing commuter train at the station platform only to be met by the pilot of the passing train. Her mortal remains were ricocheted directly to the cameraman.

Railroads are unique among industry with seeming open access to all and in all places. In truth, our business is an inherently dangerous sum of kinetic energy and mass. 25 feet is a good margin; more is better.

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Posted by LensCapOn on Monday, March 16, 2015 1:14 PM

blue streak 1

That is a Darwin Award near-miss.

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Posted by samfp1943 on Monday, March 16, 2015 4:39 PM

D.Carleton wrote the following:

[snip] "... Railroads are unique among industry with seeming open access to all and in all places. In truth, our business is an inherently dangerous sum of kinetic energy and mass. 25 feet is a good margin; more is better..."

A number of years ago, I was about 5 cars deep at a railroad crossing in memphis, Tn. ( ICRR's east Freight bypass and Broad St).  the front vehicles were right up againt the crossing arm; the train had slowed to a crawl when a brake application caused the whole string of cars to slam to a stop. At which point the steel door on an older ICRR Boxcar was jared off its track, and impacted the hood of an auto stopped almost under the crossing arm; the hood of the car was mashed, and the windshield broken in the impact of the door. The result was an emergency response, and an ambluance ride for the auto's driver... 25' plus would be a better margin for train watching, IMHO.

 

 

 

 

 


 

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Posted by Vern Moore on Monday, March 16, 2015 9:24 PM

LensCapOn

blue streak

Driver survived... 

That is a Darwin Award near-miss. 

 

Driver and left side back seat passenger survived.  Both the front & back seat passengers on right side died.

Darwin was 50% for everyone in that car. Definitely not a Darwin miss.

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Posted by ACY Tom on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 6:45 AM

I believe the Darwin Award is only awarded to the person who caused the accident, i.e. the driver.  Bystanders don't qualify if they didn't contribute to the accident.  Passengers would only qualify if they contributed by distracting the driver, encouraging his recklessness, turning up the radio so he couldn't hear the horn & bell, etc.  We don't know whether the passengers were participants or victims.  So far, the driver alone qualifies for honorable mention; we don't know whether the passengers deserve the award or not.  The driver will qualify for the award if he dies or is rendered incapable of reproducing.

Tom

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Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 7:01 AM

blue streak 1

 

 
D.Carleton

Even so, with just a slight change in timing that fan could have found that errant auto in his lap after the impact. Grade crossings offer great public access but the "public" makes them a danger.

 

 

That's why a person should always stand 25 feet from rail.  don't forget about loose lading.
 

Just think about a loose metal banding strap raking you at 50 mph and you'll step back!

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 7:12 AM

oltmannd
Just think about a loose metal banding strap raking you at 50 mph and you'll step back!

Or that heavy chain I once saw bouncing along from the side of a flat car.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by ACY Tom on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 9:00 AM

Over 30 years ago, while watching an IHB transfer run, I was about 25 feet from the track when a bridge plate came flying off of the end of a piggyback flatcar.  It landed about 10 feet from the track.  The train was moving fairly slowly & I never saw a reason for this happening.  It could easily have killed anybody in its path.

Tom 

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 10:11 AM

ACY

Over 30 years ago, while watching an IHB transfer run, I was about 25 feet from the track when a bridge plate came flying off of the end of a piggyback flatcar.  It landed about 10 feet from the track.  The train was moving fairly slowly & I never saw a reason for this happening.  It could easily have killed anybody in its path.

Tom 

 

The reason, I suspect, was the bridge plate was left in a down position and the movement rounded a curve that put the plate in compression from both cars and 'popped' it off the car.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by cx500 on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 4:52 PM

An autorack simply flopped on its side in a slow speed derailment will also occupy a fair bit of real estate, 20' or better.  Even if you choose to be close in to get the desired composition, back away as soon as the camera has captured the image.

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Posted by ORNHOO on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 6:53 PM
30 + years ago I heard a U.P. section crew foreman relate how "someone" had neglected to secure one of the cables on a center beam lumber car after unloading it. His section crew had to replace around 100 telegraph poles after the "world's biggest weed-whacker" got through with them.

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