Your key word is ASSUME
As we all know it makes an A$$ U ME - in this case with fatal results.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Four firefighters from Cardinal, Ontario (Canada) were killed some years ago when they drove around the gates enroute to a call. One train had just passed the crossing and they apparently assumed that even though the gates were down, it was safe to pass.
It wasn't.
Another train, running in the opposite direction, occupied the crossing at the same time they did.
Bottom line - if the gates are down and the lights are flashing, assume that there is a train coming, unless you can conclusively prove that there is not (ie, clear line of sight for a considerable distance in both directions).
Crossing protection equipment does malfunction, which is not terribly surprising given the method of activation. If that is the case, a driver is only allowed to pass over the crossing at the direction of a police officer or railroad employee.
There are many crossings with permanent physical obstructions to vision. The parked train is a non-player here. The driver gets the blame.
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...
My family was riding the Auto Train that struck and killed a driver last Monday. It was not the typical accident but it was one that I'm familiar with since it happened to a schoolmate years ago. The scenario is that there are two tracks and two trains. Train #1 is a freight parked on Track #1. Train #2 is the Auto Train at track speed on Track #2. Driver assumes Train #1 has activated the crossing gates so pulls around the gates just to be struck by Train #2 Auto Train coming in the same direction that the freight Train #1 is facing.
Does it not make sense to disallow Train #1 from parking so close to a crossing? I would think this would prevent the situation in which people seem to assume that the crossing gates are unnecessarily activated due to the presence of the parked Train #1. Furthermore, the parked Train #1 completely obscures the view of Train #2 travelling in the same direction. Now, Imagine this scenario on crossings not protected by automatic signals.
I wonder what your thoughts are. Nobody on our train was hurt but it was probably the latest Auto Train in history that wasn't a derailment.
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