Video: train vs 18-wheeler. Train wins.

[zardoz]

http://i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=26288

 

[J. Daddy]

Did anyone get hurt?!

What is the call of order after an accident like this. Looks like the train was just going to continue! Obviously slamming on the brake was not the first point of action when he saw the truck blocking the crossing, is this due to a possible derailment? Maintain speed and let the train come to a slow halt? I witness an accident near my home. Unfortunately two young teenage girls died as a result. But I was surprised how quick the train was able to stop giving its load and speed. Train was traveling about 40 to 50 mph, with at least 40 loaded coal cars, took the engineer only about 1000 feet to come to a complete stop. Unfortunately it did not help, the girls vehicle was pinned to the front of the vehicle and folded almost in half. The crossing was closed the following year.

[Modelcar]

....After viewing the truck vs. train video, I'm amazed how quickly the train was able to stop.  Good that dual wheel / axle set didn't get wedged under the front of the engine and wheels and possibly would have caused a massive derailment.

Looks like the engine front was intact and hence, I'd belive the crew easily survived that impact.

[CShaveRR]

I hope NS saw this video, and used it to collect damages from the truck driver or his company.  There's no doubt that the truck went past lowered gates (four-quadrant gates, from the looks of things) to be on the crossing at the wrong time.

What excuse could the driver possibly come up with?

[J. Daddy]

The only thing I can think of is he may have had a load shift on him so when traveling over the crossing the trailer seemed to have disengaged from its 5th wheel?

I bet he went to church the following week...

 

[CNW 6000]

Considering what could have happened if that tractor was on the tracks, the driver was lucky.  Maybe someone could come up with concrete barriers reinforced with steel.

[Convicted One]

I too am surprised/impressed with the stopping ability of the train in the video, considering all one hears about the (relative) helplessness of the crew to stop a loaded train.

Obviously it is impossible to stop on a dime, as the video plainly demonstrates. Still,.. considering the speed the train seemed to be going at the time it enters the crossing, and the amount it appears to have slowed down by the end of the clip...IS impressive.

In the same respect, there is a nearby location where westbounds frequently  (but not always)stop in wait for incoming eastbounds to clear their path. And it often surprises me. I'll see a west bound plunking along at 15-20 miles per hour, and figure he's been given the go ahead to head out, only to be surprised to hear him apply the brakes with as little as 1/4 to 3/8 mile before the point he must stop at, and impressively bring that whole dang train to a stop in time. Sometimes I'll think "no way is he going to be stopped in time",..but they surprise me every time. The brakes work much better than the legend lets on.

[Anonymous]

The driver went through the gates and got caught when the bells rang and the gates thumped down on the rig.

Maybe the driver did not have the presence of mind to make a decision and execute it promptly. To me too much time was lost sitting still working out the mental issues or anxiety.

It is easy to sit in the "Peanut Gallery" and make assumptions without knowing the facts that probably will be present after a properly done accident investigation.

The 5th wheel, landing gear and drive wheels were fine. He was moving; should have kept moving the moment those gates came down and get clear.

I think it will be very safe to say that Driver will not drive again for a time (If at all) and may be made responsible for the damages.

I believe the train engineer did his duty in waiting to see if there will be a smash before blowing the hole and tossing a huge wrench into that particular day's schedule for that rail line.

[tree68]

More cars = more brakes.  Given a lack of other hazards (curves, especially, and grades), you can tie a train down pretty quickly. 

One of our engineers commented one day that he liked having a couple of extra cars on - the braking difference was significant.

On the other hand, another engineer was moving a locomotive light and had trouble with it on a downgrade - no brakes.  Slip sliding away.....  On the flat from a low speed the independent can stop you pretty quick, but....

[Modelcar]

...As a non railroader I sure do agree with several posts above regarding the braking ability of an extended length train.  Perhaps with some unloaded cars in the consist provides plus braking for the whole train and much of the time a  train does have empty cars included.   In fact the train in our conversation appears to have several box cars {we can see}, that are empty adding braking force.

I too have read so much about how it takes a freight train a half mile, three quarters of a mile, etc....to stop under emergency conditions.  Well, the one in the video for certain did stop much inside those figures.  Agree, he wasn't moving at a high rate of speed but most mixed freights aren't.

I'm pleasantly surprised to see the brakes are really capable of doing much better than I've always thought they could. 

[ShoresJohn]

Ouch - that's gotta hurt!

Here's a link from YouTube on the same subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCrHwqGfkYs

[zardoz]

...As a non railroader I sure do agree with several posts above regarding the braking ability of an extended length train.  Perhaps with some unloaded cars in the consist provides plus braking for the whole train and much of the time a  train does have empty cars included.   In fact the train in our conversation appears to have several box cars {we can see}, that are empty adding braking force.

I too have read so much about how it takes a freight train a half mile, three quarters of a mile, etc....to stop under emergency conditions.  Well, the one in the video for certain did stop much inside those figures.  Agree, he wasn't moving at a high rate of speed but most mixed freights aren't.

I'm pleasantly surprised to see the brakes are really capable of doing much better than I've always thought they could. 

The 1/2 to 3/4 mile figures are the relatively SAFE stopping distances for a freight train going from full released running to stop.  To stop safe, you set the brakes hard (service application) and when you determine that the brakes throughout the train have set (which tends to stabilize the slack), THEN you can relatively safely dump the air. 

Concerning the video, my guess is that the Engineer was aware of the potential impact, and had already implemented the above-mentioned steps; then when he knew the impact was inevitable, he dumped the air, which resulted in the apparently quick stop.

[CopCarSS]

On the other hand, another engineer was moving a locomotive light and had trouble with it on a downgrade - no brakes.  Slip sliding away.....  On the flat from a low speed the independent can stop you pretty quick, but....

I seem to recall the UP Steam crew hooking on some freight cars once so as not to run one of the steamers light for the same reason.

[zardoz]

Ouch - that's gotta hurt!

Here's a link from YouTube on the same subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCrHwqGfkYs

Cool!  (I like his dual hard-hats).

[zardoz]

I am amazed no one got hit in this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a9BhoR02SY&feature=related

 

[CNW 6000]

I too am surprised/impressed with the stopping ability of the train in the video, considering all one hears about the (relative) helplessness of the crew to stop a loaded train.

Obviously it is impossible to stop on a dime, as the video plainly demonstrates. Still,.. considering the speed the train seemed to be going at the time it enters the crossing, and the amount it appears to have slowed down by the end of the clip...IS impressive.

In the same respect, there is a nearby location where westbounds frequently  (but not always)stop in wait for incoming eastbounds to clear their path. And it often surprises me. I'll see a west bound plunking along at 15-20 miles per hour, and figure he's been given the go ahead to head out, only to be surprised to hear him apply the brakes with as little as 1/4 to 3/8 mile before the point he must stop at, and impressively bring that whole dang train to a stop in time. Sometimes I'll think "no way is he going to be stopped in time",..but they surprise me every time. The brakes work much better than the legend lets on.

Maybe that's the reason for the legend: create fear.  If someone tells me something can't stop very quickly, especially at speed, I'm much more likely to not be in it's path!
(Parts bolded by me)

[csmith9474]

This link has a little bit more info... http://rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=1217

[Convicted One]

Maybe that's the reason for the legend: create fear.  If someone tells me something can't stop very quickly, especially at speed, I'm much more likely to not be in it's path!
(Parts bolded by me)

 

I agree. Some people only know to respond to outright fear, so it's probably best to give them what they need.

Just the same, I've been very impressed with some train's stopping distance near me. You see a full train on the roll, look at something else for a second, then look back at the train and it's dead stopped, and wonder "HTH did he stop in the 1/4 mile he had to work with?"

[Ulrich]

Stupid truck driver..no question about that. But accidents like that could be minimized by having the barrier go down earlier. From the looks of it the barrier went down only a few moments prior to the train crossing...maybe a few minutes would work better along with a barrier that can let a trapped vehicle out but cannot let a vehicle onto the tracks once the barrier is in place..

 

 

 

[vsmith]

There might have been traffic on the other side of the crossing blocking him in. Cant tell from the video. The driver may have been focused on that and never have even realized there was a train coming. Of course thats all just speculation, only the driver knows what really was going on.

These types of accidents are fairly common given the number of times its been caught on tape

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1MX9REEuiNg

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LZDAd8YX65Y

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sj7Zd5Favzg&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UQJonaGNF-E&feature=related

Seams to me the biggest issue is ignoring the fact that there is a crossing there in the 1st place or not heeding the "keep clear" warnings usually painted across the busier crossing, at least here they are buy that Amtrak bustup was nearby in Ventura at a clearly marked, striped, painted and gated crossing.

[Anonymous]

Here is your Holy Cow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1jiI47KAnI&mode=related&search=

[Anonymous]

Ouch!

[vsmith]

Its not just trucks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyH5KwFdhdY&feature=related

 

[spokyone]

Its not just trucks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyH5KwFdhdY&feature=related

 

I wish You Tube had a language filter for comments.

[caldreamer]

I have been in the cab of locomotives that have hit cas and motorcylists.  It is NOT a pretty site.  Both times it took us 3/4 of a mile to stop.  The motorcyclist was dead as soon as he train hit him.  The remains of the lady in the car had to be cut out with a torch.   WHEN WILL PEOPLE LEARN?????

[Convicted One]

Here is your Holy Cow:

 

Nice that tha loco hit "long hood" forward...better for the crew anyway.

That train managed to stop within 11 car lengths of the point of impact, had to be going at least 12-15 mph at the instant contact was made

[BaltACD]

On the other hand, another engineer was moving a locomotive light and had trouble with it on a downgrade - no brakes.  Slip sliding away.....  On the flat from a low speed the independent can stop you pretty quick, but....

I seem to recall the UP Steam crew hooking on some freight cars once so as not to run one of the steamers light for the same reason.

Steam engines have a unique braking problem compared to diesels.  On steam engines the flanged tire of the driving wheels are shrunk fit to the center section of the driving wheels.  This is done by heating the tire, thus expanding it, putting it in place over the center section and then allowing the tire to cool, thus shrinking and making a near unbreakable connection to the wheel center....if the driving wheels were to get severe braking applied to them, the tire would heat up and under the worse case senario, come off the wheel center section.  Steam engines are not used to provide much braking power to the train as a whole....the train provides the braking power.  Diesel wheels are one piece and are shrunk fit on the axles.  The entire diameter of the wheels thereby provide a heat sink to the braking action taking place at the wheel rim.  On steam engines the tire, being relatively thin, has no such heat sink barrier to keep it from getting overheated.

[mudchicken]

I hope NS saw this video, and used it to collect damages from the truck driver or his company.  There's no doubt that the truck went past lowered gates (four-quadrant gates, from the looks of things) to be on the crossing at the wrong time.

What excuse could the driver possibly come up with?

I see a second issue that nobody caught. Trucker can share the blame with the public road agency unless the local highway maintenance knuckleheads posted a sign out of frame.

Look carefully at :

(1) the length of the truck and the position of the rear wheels.

(2) look at the relative positions of the front and rear of the tractor trailer. Going to ask permission to use this in one of the next classes I teach to surveyors and civil engineers. (the trucker had a bigger issue before the gates even came down)

Wish there was a little more shown at the beginning. (and wish I could find the video of the same railroad trying to run a stack train under a street overpass)

[CShaveRR]

Thank you, MC!  I herewith retract my previous statement about the truck going past lowered, or even lowering, gates.

I wonder whether the price of replacing the landing gear would have been worth waiting around.  He was obviously moving when the train hit him, so he provably should have moved more quickly.  But yes, the crossing should have been posted against trailers like this.

MC, would dragging the landing gear across the crossing like this damage the track?  If so, this railfan could have been shooting a nasty derailment instead of a mere truck-smack.

[oskar]

I am surprised there was no horn at the end before they hit the truck. I guess they knew what was coming. This isn't the first time a truck was smashed by a NS train in North Carolina. NS 7122 on 213 smacked a yarn truck in Kings Mountain in August.

 

 

Kevin