Follow up to the Texas Eagle Pickup Meet in TX

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by StillGrande

Personally, I think that stupid people will find a way to be stupid.

I couldn't agree more. This story received all sorts of press down here for the past couple of days. I was very impressed that there wasn't any sort of negativity toward Amtrack or the trackowners, Union Pacific. The funny thing is that a few months prior to this collision, the same news channels were covering a similar story. The Grand Prairie Police and the Arlington Police Departments set up for a day long high enforcement event and were catching people running the crossing lights and arms every time a train went through.

I just can't see that a "safe crossing" would have prevented this collision. If I were an engineer I think it'd be great laying on the horn for minutes in advance of the crossing...just to annoy the locals[:)]

[StillGrande]

According to a story in the Dallas Morning News, Grand Prarie TX is claiming that if the crossing had been a no whistle crossing like they want to change it into the accident would not have occured. The pickup in question went around the closed gate and onto one track so the passenger could get a better look at the freight train that was crossing on the far track. That is when they got clocked by the Texas Eagle. The city is claiming that if they had been allowed to make the crossing a whistle ban crossing then there would have been a four quadrant gate their which would have prevented the driver from pulling around the gates. Personally, I think that stupid people will find a way to be stupid.