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I sure have seen a lot of EYE-witnesses saying the equipment failed. What do you think---Bought off or the reports lost? Train barrels into car, killing driver Possible problem with crossing gate under scrutiny Recent stories about traffic accidents. Recent stories about plane crashes and train accidents Post or read comments in our online forums By Darrell Smith The Desert Sun July 10, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MECCA -- Investigators are focusing on a malfunctioning rail crossing gate in the death of a man whose car was struck by a train Wednesday. The collision happened just before 11:30 a.m. at a rail crossing on Avenue 66 north of Highway 111 in Mecca, said California Highway Patrol Officer Tami Low. The driver, a 76-year-old Mecca man, was waiting behind the crossing gate when the crossing arm rose high enough to allow the man’s car to pass, witnesses told CHP investigators. When he did, a Union Pacific freight train, loaded with nearly 300,000 pounds of cargo, barreled through the Toyota station wagon, knocking it into a nearby culvert. Investigators marked the train’s speed at 61 mph, normal for that stretch of track, Low said. "We have really good witnesses who came forward. We’re looking at that very seriously," Low said of the crossing gate. "We have strong witnesses and strong indications there may have been a malfunction." The train’s conductor leapt from the train and sprinted the length of the 37-car, 4,000-foot-long freight to pull the man from the wrecked car, Low said. But the man’s injuries were too great and he died just after 2 p.m. at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. His name had not been released Wednesday pending notification of relatives. Neither the conductor nor the engineer were injured, and Union Pacific officials said the two were receiving counseling. The train, based out of Los Angeles, was heading to the East Coast, said Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis. It is considered one of the most important trains on the railroad’s west-east route because of the expensive cargo it hauls, Low said. The route through Mecca is a busy one, Low said, with a train passing through every 20 minutes. The collision closed rail traffic for roughly 2 1/2 hours as crews tended to the victim and cleared the tracks. The highway patrol is investigating the wreck. Union Pacific officials will also look into the collision and the crossing gate. Union Pacific’s Davis would not comment specifically on allegations that the gate malfunctioned, citing its investigation into the wreck. Davis did not know Wednesday how long the railroad’s investigation would take. "As long as it takes," he said from the railroad’s Omaha, Neb., offices.
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