BUTLER, Ind. — Indiana law enforcement agencies are investigating how an oversized semi load being escorted by Indiana State Police was struck by a northbound freight train at a grade crossing in Butler this week. The incident happened Wednesd...
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/11/16-police-investigate-train-collision-with-special-truck-move-in-indiana
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
There are a couple of photos here: http://fwarailfan.net/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4222
It appears they had coordinated with the RR the previous day. Why they didn't for this move is up for grabs.
Could be they didn't think they'd be tying up a crossing all that long. Clearly they did for long enough.
Looks like the police escort was for the high/wide.
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...
Shades of Amtrak hitting that extra heavy load. Any one heard the final disposition of that accident and the loco ?
They will probably try to blame the railroad for not having the train jump out of the way of the truck.
Caldreamer
Brian Schmidt BUTLER, Ind. — Indiana law enforcement agencies are investigating how an oversized semi load being escorted by Indiana State Police was struck by a northbound freight train at a grade crossing in Butler this week. The incident happened Wednesd..
BUTLER, Ind. — Indiana law enforcement agencies are investigating how an oversized semi load being escorted by Indiana State Police was struck by a northbound freight train at a grade crossing in Butler this week. The incident happened Wednesd..
Why did the truck in question have a police escort, given how much good it did? Why do we pay for this nonsense? Just wondering...
My understanding is that the carrier of the shipment pays for police escort, not the taxpayers.
Living outside Baltimore and frequently traveling I-70 it is not uncommon to see shipments that originated at the Port of Baltimore heading West on I-70 with police escorts - normally Maryland State Police. Many of these shipments (I expect of reasons of weight) use the exit and entrance ramps at Interstate intersections where the Interstate uses a bridge to go over the crossing road. Police will block off these crossing roads to permit the shipment to proceed across the cross road with little if any interference. These shipments are normall handled at night as the 'caravan' would likely create a major traffic problem if done during daylight hours in a major metropolitan area. The shipmens I have seen have 'pilot' cars both leading and trailing the shipment as well as sometimes having a 'measurement car' to check overhead clearances that may be less than authorities believe them to be. I have no idea of the shipping charges - they have to be considerable.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD My understanding is that the carrier of the shipment pays for police escort, not the taxpayers. Living outside Baltimore and frequently traveling I-70 it is not uncommon to see shipments that originated at the Port of Baltimore heading West on I-70 with police escorts - normally Maryland State Police. Many of these shipments (I expect of reasons of weight) use the exit and entrance ramps at Interstate intersections where the Interstate uses a bridge to go over the crossing road. Police will block off these crossing roads to permit the shipment to proceed across the cross road with little if any interference. These shipments are normall handled at night as the 'caravan' would likely create a major traffic problem if done during daylight hours in a major metropolitan area. The shipmens I have seen have 'pilot' cars both leading and trailing the shipment as well as sometimes having a 'measurement car' to check overhead clearances that may be less than authorities believe them to be. I have no idea of the shipping charges - they have to be considerable.
Maryland used to require a Dangerous/Oversize catagory load transiting I-95 to contact a Md Highway Patrol for escort up the turnpike portion of I-95.
The driver was to call for that Escort from the appropriate Maryland [Maryland House Rest Area for escort.
Over the Twin Bridges @ on I-95[ Crossing over Delaware R} it was the Delaware State Police that were the escorting service for NB Haz-Mat loads. There was never any discussion about WHO had the Insurance responsibility for the load while the State Police were escorting. I had always assumed it was the Carrier's Insurance when not under escort.
caldreamer They will probably try to blame the railroad for not having the train jump out of the way of the truck. Caldreamer
I did a little light reading on the Indiana DOT website regarding oversized movements. For something this large it required a police escort at all times under movement and the police are responsible for communication with all utility and railroads that said movement will encounter and the appropriate times they will be interacting with the said companies equipment or crossings.
Why some heavy oversized loads take the on and off ramps instead of going under the bridge is to avoid the chance of hitting the bridge. I got that tidbit from a friend of my hubby's that hauls oversized loads for Keen Transport. His setup empty weighs 60k he is permitted for a max gross of 250k .
BaltACD Living outside Baltimore and frequently traveling I-70 it is not uncommon to see shipments that originated at the Port of Baltimore heading West on I-70 with police escorts - normally Maryland State Police.
Living outside Baltimore and frequently traveling I-70 it is not uncommon to see shipments that originated at the Port of Baltimore heading West on I-70 with police escorts - normally Maryland State Police.
Yes I encountered one of those loads somewhere on I-70 near Baltimore. Was in a truck stop with it. The load was 28 feet wide but not tall so would clear all under passes. Talked to driver the load moved only at times 0100 - 0500 at a slow speed that I do not remember. Do not remember if I-70 there was 2 or more lanes but if 2 lanes would really back up following traffic.
blue streak 1 BaltACD Living outside Baltimore and frequently traveling I-70 it is not uncommon to see shipments that originated at the Port of Baltimore heading West on I-70 with police escorts - normally Maryland State Police. Yes I encountered one of those loads somewhere on I-70 near Baltimore. Was in a truck stop with it. The load was 28 feet wide but not tall so would clear all under passes. Talked to driver the load moved only at times 0100 - 0500 at a slow speed that I do not remember. Do not remember if I-70 there was 2 or more lanes but if 2 lanes would really back up following traffic.
I-70 from the Baltimore Beltway West varies between two and three lanes.
From the Beltway to US29 East of Ellicott City it is 3 lanes, from US29 to US40 West of Ellicott City it is 2 lanes. From US40 to the I270-US15-US340 interchange at Frederick it is 3 lanes. From Frederick to I68 and the Pennsylvania State Line at Hancock it is 2 lanes except for 3 lanes on the climbing sides of Braddock Mountain and South Mountain. There is also a very, very short segment of 3 lanes (3500 feet and less) climbing a rise between Braddock and South Mountains.
I68 from Hancock West is two and three lanes. Three lanes climibing the mountains and two lanes descending the many mountains. If one notices the final OTR truck in my video - it is 'drawbar' attached to the load and carries a container of ballast over the trucks drive wheels - creating a manned helper to climb the mountains as well as additional braking power in descent.
My money's on the truck driver and the trip planner being fired for not paying for the railroad flagman that should have acompanied the move ($1475/day)... Somebody being cheap (& stupid)- no excuse for that. (Flagman would have gotten Track & Time or warrant or some other form of protection) - cops are not railroad rules qualified)
If the police escort did not question the lack of a flagman, he' unemployed as well.
Railroad track and R/W is not the jusrisdiction of the DOT (rubber tired morons with an ego problem around railroads) and the police should have been talking to their NS counterparts. (would love to hear what the fail was)
Think insurance covers this? - Think again
mudchickenpaying for the railroad flagman that should have acompanied the move ($1475/day)...
zardoz mudchicken paying for the railroad flagman that should have acompanied the move ($1475/day)... Nice rate of pay...wages have sure gone up since I retired!
mudchicken paying for the railroad flagman that should have acompanied the move ($1475/day)...
Nice rate of pay...wages have sure gone up since I retired!
What a railroad charges for a Flagman and what the Flagman is actually paid are two entirely different things. The railroad charge includes what is paid to the flagman, fringe payments (RRB, Medicare, Vacations etc. etc. etc.), transportation to and from the flagged location and potentially lodging expenses as well as some sort of charge for 'profit'.
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