"Adequate warning devices",

[Anonymous]

Jen,
that's cool. You know on many things we girls need to stick to gether!!(lol) Just joking these guys seem to stay in the lines or on the tracks(Ha,Ha). Depends on how yo want to look at it.
Take care always,
Mel

[Anonymous]

lol don't ever worry when speaking to a canadian about being nosey. Its in their nature to tell everything, which i refrain from doing here, becasue of this whole family orianted thing. you mentioned soemthing about.. me not knowing what else is out there girls etc.. clear up time.. Lol.. im not ALLOWED to know what else is out there.. if i talk to a woman for more then 30 secondes a get a frown.. but you nkow.. thats also the way i like it.. it keeps me in line.. and i know that she cares for me.

tie the knot.. we agreed to wait a few more years; it'll end up being for the best.

i would say alot more, but Cabforward would be on my back instantly about me keeping my "G-rated" standerds. so Rememrb there is no such thing as being nosy to a Canadian..

have a great day,
kev, the-not-so-night-owl

[Anonymous]

Kev,
Wow that is impressive. I often wonder if my husband wants to know what is out there. A matter of fact I am sure he does. I used to not be jelous but I am getting worse (for reasons) So if you are content and your girlfriend is content then you two really got your life together and that is good. You know my husband never acts jelous. I don't know if he knows me well enough to know I am not the sort or if he just doesn't let me know. Either way you are right about the knowing she cares thing. I often wonders if my hubby cares. On the other hand I would not want a green eyed monster that is alwlays suspicious and never trusts me either. Just like every thing else there is no happy medium(lol). Hey no one ever answered my question about any differences in Canadian rail roads and American rail roads. I mean it is probably a dumb question but I am curious to know.
The G-rated thing is a good thing. I mean I understand that there may be kids on here looking up train stuff. Or have questions to ask. So I commend this site for that.
I did actually have a question. I was talking to my mom last night and was telling her about this site. She brought up a situation that I wanted to ask you all about. First off my whole family is into road construction. My husband, mom, dad and brother (when he was alive). You know for the record I know there are people that don't pay attention when they drive. And I know that people are often times in a hurry. Believe me my mother and husband's lives have been endagered working on the road. On flager was killed a couple years ago because some older guy from Texas was on his Celphone and ran the flagger right down. My husband was almost run over a couple weeks ago by a COMPANY truck that did not see him on the road and was going way to fast. Back to my question my mom often drives a dump truck. She wants to know exactly what is to be done if the cossing is not visually clear and she can not see very far down the tracks. Of course the truck is so loud that she said when the wind blows the wrong direction she can not always hear the whistle. She said she is sure the trains blow them but at times can't hear it. She is driving this dump truck that takes off slower then the adverage vehicle. I know you guys know how that works because trains I am sure have to start slow and pick up speed as it goes. Luckly one of the cossings she goes across has a pull over and stop lane so other don't have to stop if they don't wan't to. I think this helps keep people from passing big trucks at tracks because many of them do stop and it takes them longer to get going again. Any way what is the safest way to handle situations like this? Can't always hear, can't see very far for a big truck to take the time to get across? Is it a take your chances thing or is there a better alternative. This is across the highway and there is really no other way around it especially for a big truck. You know I want my mom to be safe and I want to know if there is any thing I can tell her to increase chances at staying safe.
Take care always,
Mel

[Anonymous]

You know what that's actually a really good question and if i was a truck.. this is what i would do..

1. four way flashers
2. stop at the crossing
3. look both ways
4. then proceed.

Unless anyone else thinks there idea is smarter, or they drive a dump truck.. that's one thing i don't do in life. there you those are my suggestions

Cheers,
Detour Kev.

[edblysard]

HiMel and Kev,
What railroad does she have to cross? Find out which one, and then call the district super. Explain that there will be a lot of heavy equipment using that crossing, and could he alert his train crews to be more aware of it.
My bet is he will issue a General Order or General Notice to reduce speed at that crossing. Try to have whoever is the head honcho at the construction site call, make it a formal request.
Where I work, we have GN and GOs describing even small things, like "be aware of obstruction(ties and rail) in foot path east end Shell siding track 702, between the wax plant and road"
Cant hurt to try, you might get surprised.
Mel, General Notices are just that, a notice to train crews about temporary conditions, closes clearences, construction and such, General Orders are the way we modify our exsisting set of standing orders, as if a safety rule had changed, or a operation rule or timetable rule has been modified.
When we tie up, (clock out) we have to note on our tie up form which of these were the latest ones we have read, our timekeeper checks and will alert you and the trainmaster if you fail to read the latest one twice in a row.
Stay Frosty
Ed

[wabash1]

Melissa

As you can see i am not Ed. i can give you some finer points on what you are looking for. First off in my way of thinking as a engineer we are the ones who get the most scrutiny. we are the ones running the train so we are the ones who kill the person. then comes the conductor. he has to go back to the scean to witness and take the report. I am in no way saying that the conductor feels anything less about the incident. just maybe little differances. yes he was on the lead unit and was there when it happen but he has no controll over the imidiate movement of the trainat a crossing. now as a crew we both feel a loss when there is a accident and there is differant type of trama at the sceane. As a engineer i cant leave the engine the engineer wants to get back there and help ( and its only natural) but fra rules say i cant leave. ( with out securing train.) now comes the conductor he has to be there when they pull the person out or pick up the peices off the tracks. this sticks with them for some time. in any advent we feel helpless that we cant do more. but you play this thru your mind time and time again and there is nothing you could do. when the person is looking right at you and you see that they panic couse they misjudged where you are when they pull infront of you. you hit them and from where you hit them you get the feeling its over for them. my bosses was very understanding and very suppotive. and to tell you the truth the railroad i work for use to give the survivors a check (40,000 in the 70s ) to help with bills when someone got hurt or killed in crossing accidents but this only gave people a idea to sue for more. so they quit. and it was clearly not the fault of the railroad. witnesses said lights was working bell ringing horn blowing and all said same thing. they pulled infront of the train.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ed and Kev,
I will tell my mom what you said.
Take care always,
Mel

[Anonymous]

How does one say Kev is not the sharpest tool in the shed in railroad talk?

How far dip? She just said the truck can't see. Stopping is the worse thing you can do because the reacceleration leaves you in the kill zone longer. Call 911 and have the police send you out a couple of track guards. By law you need the sight lines and the cops can bill the officers time to the railroad. Plus there is a electronic record where the crossing was reported sight obstructed. NEVER call the railroad because no trace will ever be found where you complained. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TA/ProgMgt/Grants/Sight_Eng.pdf You take Kevins advice you will be not only dead but failed to yield to the train.

[Anonymous]

J.
Sorry for my mix up. I did not know exactly how the engineer/conductor thing worked. But I guess I do now. I will try to keep it straight(key word TRY) And I believe it would be tramatic to be either one in such a situation. And I also believe that there are many people that do not consider the engineer or the conductors remorse and sadness through such a event. I know no one in their right mind wants to kill any one. This is the kicker of the whole deal. And I am not saying this is the Gods honest truth but this is kind of what I think about the way things have snowballed. You may disagree with me and that is fine I respect that. I think there is a small part of peoples lack of sympathy for the engineer of the train because so often there is a attitude out there that if some one is hit by a train they deserved it and they "deserved to have their genes removed from the gene pool" I did see that on the site some where. I don't know who said it and it doesn't matter. But you see by those statements made by a few or a lot it puts out the notion that you guys are hardened. I am not saying I think you don't feel a loss for the human life even if they did go around the gates. I am saying that by statements like those it puts some thing into the atmosphere. I never once blames the engineer for my loss but I do not exactly think it was my loved ones fault either. I think it was a accident. A horrible thing for me and my family and a horrible thing for the engineer. Like I have discussed before malfunctions occur. When you are dealing with some thing mechanical it is not fail proof. I don't feel any thing malicious was going on. It was just unfortunate. I have seen alot of compassionate and caring people on this site. To tell you the truth it surprised me. I am ashamed to admit that but it is true. I guess I had the notion that you all were tough hardened men that just figured they were stupid and got what they deserved. I am learning from this site and I am hopping that by letting some of you know how I feel you can know that not every one blames you- don't. But some times what we say can hit some one wrong and give the feeling that that person don't care even if that is not true at all.
Don't hate me because I told you what I honesly feel. I know many of you may not agree and that if fine by me. I did not come here to make you guys think like me see things my way.
Like I said I am sorry you guys have to go through this kind of stuff over and over again. And I wi***hat people would obey the law. I agree it would significantly reduce crossing fatalities. But I still won't agree that it would completely get rid of crossing accident. I think the only thing that would do that is no crossings at all. Another subject i whole heartedly agree with you guys on.
Thanks for taking the time to explain this to me. I appriciate all the knowledge you guys have to offer
Take care always,
Mel

[Anonymous]

There you go!

you heard from missouri, the most expierienced railrad man on this site, as you are all aware his advice is SO well known, and everyone these days are talking to him!

Have a great day all,
Dead-head Kev.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure all you hard core supporters of the "profit over life attitude" have been sent complimentary tickets. Enjoy the show!!!

Snow to address GOP fund-raiser


Jun 03, 2003


Treasury Secretary John W. Snow will return home to address the annual fund-raising gala of the Republican Party of Virginia on June 13.

Snow, the former chairman of Richmond-based CSX Corp., was appointed Treasury secretary earlier this year. He retains a home in Richmond.

The dinner and reception will be at the Science Museum of Virginia. Admission prices range from $75 for an individual up to $10,000 for major sponsors.

Joseph C. Farrell, retired chairman of the Pittston Co., will be chairman of the gala. Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore, Speaker of the House William J. Howell, R-Stafford, and Sen.Walter A. Stosch, R-Henrico, will be co-hosts.

Suit filed in death at railroad crossing
Widow of victim blames crossing design for accident

PASADENA -- The widow of a man killed when his car was hit by a train has filed a lawsuit against Union Pacific Railroad, claiming that the company's poorly designed railroad crossing caused her husband's death.

Margarita Mussenden of San Marino had been married to Henry Mussenden for almost 50 years when he was killed by the train at about 10 a.m. April 17, 2002. The accident happened at the railroad crossing on Mission Road, just north of Junipero Serra Drive, in San Gabriel.

Henry Mussenden, 75, had been running errands in his older, diesel-powered Mercedes, when he turned onto Mission Road in front of the tracks as a train approached, said Rick Gaxiola, attorney for the plaintiff. Because the railroad crossing's design, Mussenden's Mercedes became trapped the tracks were in front of the car, and the crossing arm was lowered behind it, Gaxiola said.

The tracks cross Mission Road at an angle, so Mussenden might have had room to avoid the train, Gaxiola said. People who witnessed the incident told the lawyer that they've seen other vehicles trapped in the same way Mussenden's was, Gaxiola said.

"There was enough space for a vehicle to be beyond the crossing arm, but short of the track,' he said.

A witness said that Mussenden may have become disoriented when the train approached, Gaxiola said, but he couldn't back up because of the crossing arm.

"I believe he thought he was on the tracks and tried to get out of the way,' Gaxiola said. "(The witness) heard the car's motor rev, but it being an older Mercedes diesel, it didn't have time to get off the tracks and, in essence, ended up right in front of the train.'

The train's engineer, Gil Pectol also is named in the lawsuit, but will be dropped if it is found he was not negligent, Gaxiola said.

"It's our contention that this particular crossing ... was known to be negligently designed,' Gaxiola said. "The crossing arm didn't come down at appropriate angles.'

The intersection has been redesigned since the accident, he said.

John Bromley, director of public affairs for Union Pacific Railroad, said he can't talk about the railroad crossing or the Mussenden case because of the lawsuit. Bromley said the company will "vigorously defend the suit.'

-- Marshall Allen can be reached at [phone], Ext. 4461, or by e-mail at [e-mail].




CSX seeking fees to keep railroad crossings open
Tuesday, June 03, 2003

By Kevin Castle
Times-News


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2003 Passat GL
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GATE CITY - CSX Transportation has sent letters to some Scott County landowners saying private railroad crossings on or near their property can remain open - for a price.

Documents obtained by the Times-News Monday state that the company is requiring landowners to apply for private road crossing agreements in some instances that would require the owner to pay an annual license fee.

The fee, which is listed as $150, would be paid along with an annualized replacement cost or charge, which would be based upon one-tenth of the estimated cost of the crossing installation, the letter states.

Danny Davidson received an almost identical letter by certified mail last week with the same stipulations.

"I have no intentions of signing anything or sending them any money. It's more or less extortion, if you ask me,'' said Davidson, who owns a farm in the Waycross community that is divided by a CSX railway.

The fees and other related charges stem from a campaign launched by CSX last month to identify all private rail crossing in 22 states.

Some Scott County residents have contacted county government leaders and state legislators seeking assistance because if the crossings are closed, which CSX has indicated could happen, the residents would be landlocked.

Other requirements in the company's private road crossing agreement include:

•Maintenance of the crossings' approaches, drainage and sight clearance by the property owner.

•A requirement for the owner to purchase liability insurance to cover the crossing for the life of the agreement with CSX.

•A future crossing signalization clause, requiring automatic traffic control devices "at the entire expense of applicant,'' including maintenance, if the need develops or if required by a governmental agency or by CSX.

The letter to Davidson and others concludes by stating failure to respond will be considered "a negative response" and "handling for barricading and removal of the crossing will proceed.''

CSX representative Gary Cease, who was interviewed last week by the Times-News, could not be reached for comment Monday.

Cease said last week that the crossing closures were being done for a number of reasons, including defraying maintenance costs and closing "unused" crossings.

Scott County Attorney Dean Foster called CSX's method of identifying private crossings and the original deeds to those plots "a process turned on its head by CSX.'' Foster has written a formal request to the railroad seeking a compromise in the crossing controversy.

"Most of these right of ways were obtained by the predecessor railroad to CSX in the county in the 1880s and early 1900s, and in some of the deeds I have read from that time the railroad obligates itself to erect necessary crossings and even cattle guards,'' says Foster in his letter to CSX property service official Windle Bowman.

"However, rather than do its own research on its individual right of ways with its division of legal counsel or locally retained attorneys, CSX has turned the process on its head by shifting the burden to individual property owners to do the legal research and carry the proof under threat of closing the crossing," the letter states.

Foster continues by questioning whether this was a wise legal process for CSX to use.

"I suggest that it is perceived as an unnecessary strong-armed tactic and certainly does not help community and public relations.

"I would appreciate it if (Windle Bowman) or someone with CSX would contact me at your earliest convenience to determine if we might find a better way to resolve this issue,'' Foster concludes in his letter.

Foster said Monday that the State Corporation Commission has requested more information on the situation regarding the proposed closure moves by CSX.

- Kevin Castle

[Anonymous]

MIKE, i'm still awaiitng those pictures you're supposed to send me!

Whats the hold up?

you said you have some pictures of bad visibility crossings..
i'm waiting
send them to me!!!

not so loud now are you?

detour Kev.

[wabash1]

Mel

No offense taken, just a view from the side people dont see. Life is something i dont take for granted, it can be wiped out in a split second. when you read a post i just did you will feel the venom and hatred towards one man on here. it is like he blames me my employeer and anyone else in the railroad industry including all rail fans. The thing is we feel the loss as well as the persons family. Its been several months since the last person i hit and killed. I see it over and over every day just like it happened that night. i moved on with life i wont forget but i dont let it rule me either. yes things happen sometimes thing dont work. the crossing of today if the power goes off they crossings are battery back up and will last for several days if anything goes wrong in the cabinit the crossing lights come on. ( abnormal heat waves makes these crossing go into failsafe start flasing with no train) the crossing are set to flash with no train just as a saftey measure. In other words I dont mind the people who come on here to look for answer and even cry on shoulders for there loss or just want to chat about railroad issue the problem is the ones who want to make everyone look like murders for a accident that was not anyones fault who works for the railroad. Mel you are sensible and I enjoy your post. as far as i am concerned come on in and jooin this family of railroaders and rail fans i welcome you with open arms.( ED my first official act as unihead) cry a little if you need to laugh when needed and just be yourself. Jenny was here first so we will call you princess mel. If you accept i hope you find many happy hours here on this forum. Oh one thing and ed will back me up on this a railroader is very thick skinned we dont bruise easy and we can dish it out. but we can be sentimental. ( i know i have poor spelling)

[wabash1]

Ed and Jackflash

the company knew after the fact about me going also. they never said much i think they kept it in house. It wouldnt matter anyways i wanted ansers and got what i needed. and believe me it helped.

[Anonymous]

in your previous previous previous post, i saw the ad fro the Vokey Pasat GL... don't buy it.. it'll never stop in time at a crossing

just some advice, mike


kev.

[edblysard]

For me, it helped put a end to some things, some it didnt. And my engineer just needed to tell her mother he was sorry. She patted him on the arm, mouthed "thank you" and walked off. I had to drive home.
Ed

[Anonymous]

J,
Princess?? WOW I am honored. Your spelling is fine I am not much better about spelling myself and I work at a school! You know I could not imagine having a job that has so many ups and downs. I don't think I could keep comming back again and again. You know just like they say it takes a certain kind of person to be a nurse I think that applies to you guys also. It has to be some one strong(of course) to be able to deal with the stress and emotional toll of it all. It also takes some one with some sentament also that doesn't turn them selves off of to emotions completely. You know I hit a bird or a rabbit and I just feel horrible but I don't take it as bad as I did the first time I hit a bird ( I took it home and barried it-lol) So I imagine to keep a balance is hard. You can't let it depress you but you still need to feel sadness over it (human nature after all) But to go through it over and over again must be difficult. Any way I guess I must go. I have a "bad news bears" team. I coach little girls 7, 8 and 9 year olds and we were stomped last night and probably will be again tonight. I have parents to call and all that fun stuff.
Take care always,
Mel ( If I signed Princess Mel do you think some one might thing I am man that perfers the feminine side of life??-LOL)

[Anonymous]

why is it that my ex-school winds up with nurses that are 5, 845 years old.. and that school gets you


i feel so ripped off right now.

i was neevr treated by a you nurse.. and i tried the best to injure myself too!

ringa-muttin-frigaa-frikin-ligga-lartin-hinga-gurtin-rigga-roma
detour kev

[Anonymous]

Kev,
All I can say is LOL. I can just see you jumping off the monkey bars so you can go eyeball your old nurse!!!That's okay I am working on getting a career in telecommunications. If I do I will probaly quit at the school. So they will probably end up with a old rip after all (if it makes you feel any better) Actually I do have a few boys that follow me around (poor kids) I think they just don't know any better. Well I must get ready for another ball game. My bad news bears must go to another three ring circus tonight.
Take care always,
Mel

[Anonymous]

Man i mean like winding up with a nurse thats smoked since she was 1.. her face all wrinkely being held together by 3M inovation scotch tape.

howeevr the intern wasn't so bad though, that's when i threw myself to the ground or did somehting like that

thats where the slogan wqs first born
"out with the old in with the new"
cheers,
Detour kev.

[Anonymous]

My goodness you make the old nurse sound scary. Poor tramatized child!
I had a question. As I was driving to my ball game in a town I was not familiar with, I came upon a crossing equipt with lights and gates. As I was stopping my passanger (assistant coach) who has been in the town often told me that I did not need to stop. No trains ever used the cossing. I (who did not give a crap if it had not been used in 1,000 years) stopped any way. But what I was wondering is that if that crossing is no longer in use can those lights and gates be used at another crossing? From what I have heard these things are not cheap and I wondered if they would be deemed a risk at another crossing since they have been already used or if they could go for a crossing that currently does not have them? By the way my bad news bears team lost last night but intead of 16 to 0 like Wed. night it was only 5 to 0 and the umpires were calling crappy calls. I swear the balls were up to my girls eyeballs and they were calling them strikes(along with other stupid calls)But I think we are getting better!-lol
Take care always,
Mel

[Anonymous]

thos things are deffenately not cheap.. i rememebr when they were installed here.. everyone went loopey over the price tag.


I suppose they could be uprouted and used for a better crossing, most defenately.. now will they be is another question

if someone bugs them enoguh about it.. i'm sure they'd do somehting..
we lost a shortline RR over here... and for years the corsing lights stayed in place even after the tracks were ripped up.

eventually the got rusty, so out they came

i'm sure they could easily find a happier more lively corssing then what they protect now..

I'd go to the next city council meeting and aks them

cheers,
Detour kev.

[Mookie]

Mel - in our (your and my) neck of the woods, we always have clouds. Not all of them turn into tornados. But on the off-chance that there might be one, it is always safe to stop and look.

Same with railroad crossings that have gates and lights. You just never know! So you were very smart for a flower!

Jen

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jen,
You know this is my life and I only have one. So I don't like to take chances if I don't have to. But you know I see quite a few crossing equiped with lights and gates and no trains. Cities that are wanting lights and gates at any particular crossing would be wise to check into this. It would be a lot cheaper and I think both sides would be happier the ones getting a deal and those making money! Yea we have to watch out for those tonados.