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Freight trains vs vehicles

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Freight trains vs vehicles
Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 1:56 AM
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Posted by jeffhergert on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 4:10 AM

http://www.nebraska.tv/story/29371973/bridge-catches-fire-after-train-strikes-car-near-duncan

 

Shut the railroad down.  I went to be early Saturday night because I thought I'd be going out early Sunday.  Woke up Sunday to find this.  Deadheaded out Monday to Fremont.  Traffic started moving again Monday afternoon.  Some trains detoured over other UP routes.  Many others just turned the main line into a giant parking lot.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 4:53 PM

Buffalo collision of switch move and tractor trailer.  Almost instant explosion.  Maybe a propane powered truck ?

http://wivb.com/2015/06/23/video-train-explosion-captured-on-security-camera/

 

 

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 9:42 PM

blue streak 1

This is the same crossing that BaltACD mentioned in another thread (perhaps the one on the Oxnard, Calif, wreck a few months ago),which often causes his carrier grief with grade crossing collisions there.  It is located at: N 39 41.003' W 75 45.378'

- Paul North. 

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Posted by ACY Tom on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 10:18 PM

The headline for the Buffalo incident calls it a "train explosion".  The only explosion the video shows is a truck explosion.  The headline writer need glasses.

Tom

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 10:31 PM

The headline writer needs instruction in reading and comprehension of what he has read--and the difference between a tank truck and a locomotive.

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 10:34 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr

 

 
blue streak 1

 

This is the same crossing that BaltACD mentioned in another thread (perhaps the one on the Oxnard, Calif, wreck a few months ago),which often causes his carrier grief with grade crossing collisions there.  It is located at: N 39 41.003' W 75 45.378'

- Paul North. 

 

And the city's police station is within sight of the crossing!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by NorthWest on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 10:40 PM

blue streak 1
Maybe a propane powered truck ?

CNG?

That Newark crossing looks bad. I wonder if it would be better if whoever maintains the crossing would yank out the barrier on the northwest corner and simply pave the whole area?

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Thursday, June 25, 2015 5:46 PM

Perhaps Driver's Ed (and refresher) courses need to emphasize "Do not turn onto the tracks !", in addition to the more traditional "Stop, Look, and Listen", "Obey the crossing signals", and "Don't race the train to the crossing".

 - Paul North. 

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Posted by ACY Tom on Thursday, June 25, 2015 5:48 PM

Simplify it:  "Don't get in the car, and stay indoors where the babysitter can see you."

Tom

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, June 25, 2015 5:49 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr

Perhaps Driver's Ed (and refresher) courses need to emphasize "Do not turn onto the tracks !", in addition to the more traditional "Stop, Look, and Listen", "Obey the crossing signals, and "Don't race the train to the crossing".

 - Paul North.

And don't blindly follow the GPS's command 'Turn Right Now'.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, June 26, 2015 6:41 AM

Balt's comment is apt.  Unfortunately, it also attests to a drastic falloff in map-reading skills.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 4:15 AM
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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 7:52 AM

blue streak 1

Driven over it many time during the years - check your brain at the door if you have problems.

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Posted by ACY Tom on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 8:06 AM

Right, Balt.   I know it well, too, and I've never had a problem.  It might be good to extend those diagonal white lines across the tracks as a warning to those who aren't familiar with the area.  Surely SOMEBODY can afford a few gallons of paint. As for the signage and visibility issues, it was the State of Ohio that decided to pull out the old PRR branch and put that elevated highway where it had been, creating those problems.  That ex-B&O track has been there for about 125 years.  Most of the thousands of motorists using this intersection are locals who should know the situation. 

Tom

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 11:05 AM

BaltACD
 
blue streak 1

 

Driven over it many time during the years - check your brain at the door if you have problems.

 

According to the article, blind obedience to a GPS can cause an accident.

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 11:08 AM

Deggesty
BaltACD
 
blue streak 1

Driven over it many time during the years - check your brain at the door if you have problems.

 According to the article, blind obedience to a GPS can cause an accident.

A no-no as I stated in a previous post.  Situational awareness.

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Posted by ACY Tom on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 3:32 PM

Who's driving?  The GPS or the driver?

Tom

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 6:53 PM

ACY

Who's driving?  The GPS or the driver?

The GPS.  The driver is too busy texting....

OTOH, I tend to agree with a couple of the suggested actions.  I'm not sure that a sign warning drivers not to turn onto the tracks will be useful, but extending the stripes and moving the big green sign might be useful.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 12:59 PM

This one happened in NYC Queens.  But and it is a big but the lights only started one second before the crash and of ccourse  the gates did not even start.  Guess the train started the flashers once it was in the island circuit.  Noter there have been many collisions at the crossing but drivers were always accused.  Now what are the legal options that will occrr from this dash cam ? 

1.  convictions for running a crossing ?

2.  Insurance settlements ?

3.  Possible perjury charges for signal maintainers ?

4.  other items ?  Tell it to the judge ?

 

http://7online.com/news/dashcam-video-from-queens-freight-train-accident/838258/

 

The TV station video of the flashers and gates not working with train crossing is also damming. 

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 1:25 PM

Damm. That is contrary to everything I was taught about the design of Xing signalling, Obvious testing should reveal what is wrong. The signal maintainer is in a badspot. First suspicion would be a wiring error. Do the current electronic Xing modules still use a directional relay? I wonder when this protection was installed & by whom. But why the failure to activate?

Shouldn't engineer be aware that the flashers are not active? Portholes on side of flasher heads are visable to the engineer. I always noted them when in the cab or in a dome. But it is easy to believe that they always start and ignore them. This will be one to follow.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 2:13 PM

For this accident in Queens.  Any idea who is responsible for signal maintenance ?  LIRR, the freight carrier ,  or someone else ?.  If not LIRR when did LIRR transfer responsibility ?

If over a dozen accidents why did FRA and / or NTSB investigate ?  Looks like a lot of blame to go around but maybe drivers who got hit will get any charges expunged and insurance rates lowered retroactively ?

This will be interestig to follow in the future. 

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 2:20 PM

LIRR Investigations should include but not limited to crossing manufacturer, who wired, number of reported incidents, designed activation time or location, internal reporting system, activations only in island circuit, etc.

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Posted by Euclid on Sunday, July 12, 2015 8:45 AM
As the article says, this does raise the question of how many people who have been struck by a train have been charged with violating the crossing signals that had actually failed to activate.  I have been told by authorities that it is impossible for grade crossing protection to fail to activate because it is considered to be “fail safe.”
This same type of accident happened in Chicago a few years ago.  Signal maintainers had been working on the crossing.  Later that night, they came back to test their work.  But they tested with a train that was not properly made part of the test.  I mean it was lacking the part of the test that would have the train stop short of the crossing and flag through if the test found a fault with the day’s work by the maintainers. 
Instead, the maintainers tested with a scheduled Amtrak train.  The train would normally pass at 79 mph, and the maintainers did not impose any speed restriction for their test.  Their test would simply tell them whether the signals were working okay.  But if the test showed they were not okay, the train would zoom through the unprotected crossing at track speed nevertheless.
As it turned out, the signals were not okay, and a woman drove onto the crossing in front of the Amtrak train.  The signals and gates failed to activate and the driver was killed as the signal maintainers watched to see if their work passed inspection.   
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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 5:10 PM

blue streak 1

The lights only started one second before the crash and of course  the gates did not even start.  Guess the train started the flashers once it was in the island circuit ?.  Note: there have been many collisions at the crossing but drivers were always accused.  Now what are the legal options that will occrr from this dash cam ? 

 

http://7online.com/news/dashcam-video-from-queens-freight-train-accident/838258/

The TV station video of the flashers and gates not working with train crossing is also damming. 

 
Evidently this accident has started a FRA in depth look at all items of operation.  Certainly did not take long once media put light on the accident.
 
 
 
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Posted by caldreamer on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 5:27 PM

Whether the crossing signals are working or not, at a railroad croosing you should "SLOW DOWN, LOOK AND LISTEN".  Because the train ALWAYS wins!!!

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Posted by schlimm on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 10:09 PM

[removed for error]

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 10:14 PM

Why? BaltACD is referring to the article about the Cuyahoga Falls crossing, where 21 car drivers have turned onto the tracks.... That is indeed driver fault.

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Posted by schlimm on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 7:41 AM

 

ricktrains4824

Why? BaltACD is referring to the article about the Cuyahoga Falls crossing, where 21 car drivers have turned onto the tracks.... That is indeed driver fault.

 

Ok.  My error. Missed the reference.  

1-2 drivers on a crossing is one thing, but 21 drivers on one crossing suggests poor crossing/traffic design far more than driver negligence.

But there is still way too much sadististic pleasure in blaming the victims, even if they are at fault.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Monday, October 19, 2015 12:48 PM

UP sends another TT to the scrap yard.  3 hurt.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2015/10/19/fort-worth-train-hits-18-wheeler-3-people-injured/

 

 

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