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freight trains collide with vehicles

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Monday, February 13, 2017 9:22 AM

My insurance company, in an official letter about an accident I had, refered to my car as "Totaled", meaning the cost of repair exceeded the value of the car (was over the "Total" amount they would pay for repair).  I then got the "value" of the car (minus the deductable) in cash (check).

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:07 PM

Alert --  just saw a picture of CSX hitting tour bus more to come.  Report was near Biloxi, Ms but subject to review. 

number of deaths and injuries unknown at time of 20 second report. 

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:13 PM

blue streak 1

Alert --  just saw a picture of CSX hitting tour bus more to come.  Report was near Biloxi, Ms but subject to review. 

number of deaths and injuries unknown at time of 20 second report.  

Reported 3 dead, unknown injured, about 50 senior citizens from Texas on the bus:

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/07/train-hits-bus-in-mississippi.html

 

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Euclid on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:13 PM

They are reporting that the bus was stopped on the track at the crossing for about ten minutes before being hit by the train.  Some have referred to the bus being "stuck" on the track and trying to get free by driver manuvers.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:21 PM
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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:25 PM

After looking at the map of the area, I was going to suggest that the proximity of a road parallel to the tracks was a factor, but the bus looks to have been headed north, which would preclude it from being stuck at a light.

Apparently, this is a problem crossing:

http://www.wlox.com/story/34689284/fatal-bus-crash-not-the-first-at-biloxi-main-st-crossing

 

LarryWhistling
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Posted by ORNHOO on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:36 PM

Euclid

They are reporting that the bus was stopped on the track at the crossing for about ten minutes before being hit by the train.  Some have referred to the bus being "stuck" on the track and trying to get free by driver manuvers.

 

 

Looking on Street View, the crossing has "Low Ground Clearance" warning signs posted on both approaches.

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Posted by Euclid on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:50 PM

 

If that bus got hung up on the crossing, the driver would be faced with the choice of taking the risk of the time to get everybody off the bus versus making driving maneuvers with the hope that the bus might break free in less time than it would take to unload it.      

 

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:52 PM

I may be off base but ----  If I was Amtrak before starting service on the Sunset east would insist that the city fix these crossing approaches before starting service.    EDIT That kind of publicity Amtrak does not need.

For Biloxi residents --  Is this an approach to any casino ?  If so many of these charter buses are now so low slung that others may have or will in the future drag ?

Depending on type of suspension unloading might enable bus to rise up to clear ? Self leveling suspensions  ? ? ?

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Posted by Norm48327 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 5:40 PM

Google Earth shows a casino at the north end of main street but if the bus came in on the freeway it suggests the driver missed his exit and was trying to get to the casino. He should have heeded the signs at the crossing.

Norm


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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 5:52 PM

blue streak 1

"She was cited for failure to yield right of way."   Kind of an understatement.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 6:13 PM

City Engineer & Street Mtce staff will be under fire for this from the word go. Main Street is marked with adverse clearance (humped) signs to warn of the chance of high centering a truck, bus or trailer. (Oddly nearby Magnolia is not)...not in a QZ

My thoughts are with the train crew and those on the bus (different story for the bus driver)

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 6:17 PM

Trains don't hit vehicles that aren't blocking or fouling the track. 

I don't have an Atlanta Division ETT available, but I seem to remember speed through Biloxi being 25 MPH or less - in part because of all the road crossings but also because of the drawbridge across Biloxi Bay.

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Posted by cx500 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 7:16 PM

I wonder if the bus driver was too busy obeying his GPS to recognize the crossing was not suitable for his vehicle.  GPS is a valuable tool when used properly, but can also become a crutch and a distraction.

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 7:38 PM

Murphy Siding

 

 
blue streak 1

 

"She was cited for failure to yield right of way."   Kind of an understatement.

 

 

I wonder if it was the loud "music" that upset the dog. At least she was not nursing a baby.

Johnny

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Posted by ATSFGuy on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 7:44 PM

Remember when the gates are down and the lights are flashing, wait.

Never drive around lowered gates, it's not a joke, it's stupid and it's deadly.

Let the TRAIN cross before YOU!

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 8:51 PM

Norm48327

Google Earth shows a casino at the north end of main street but if the bus came in on the freeway it suggests the driver missed his exit and was trying to get to the casino. He should have heeded the signs at the crossing.

There is also a casino or two on the south end of Main Street.  Perhaps they were headed from one to another?

Knowing nothing about the driver, we don't know if he's driven that street before.  The idea that he was following his GPS may have merit.  

One report I saw indicated that some of the passengers had gotten off the bus, only to be hit by the bus after it was hit.  Either they were too close to get out of the way, or were running away from the bus eastward, still in the path of the wreckage, not an unusual reaction. 

LarryWhistling
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Posted by csxns on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 4:01 PM

And in Gastonia NC on the seventh a 18 wheeler got it's back knocked off.

Russell

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Posted by csxns on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 4:59 PM

csxns
And in Gastonia NC on the seventh a 18 wheeler got it's back knocked off.

The owner of the tractor trailer is T.G.Stegall.

Russell

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Posted by Dakguy201 on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 5:57 PM

A CN train operating on track rights on the UP collected a semitrailer in LeMars IA:

http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/train-smacks-semi-trailer-packed-with-dairy-treats-in-le/article_dfbf4b5c-4221-507d-8e02-8464f9cd4072.html

This was the second semi/train encounter this year in that community.  The other one was a load of turkey meat.

Apparently this is a known problem in this area.  A year or two ago the UP operated a decoy train back and forth through town with an officer in the cab in contact with cars on parallel roads -- the officer observed and the following cars issued the citations.   Perhaps it is time for a repeat?

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Friday, June 16, 2017 3:42 AM
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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 6:23 PM

http://www.wltx.com/news/local/bulldozer-causes-train-derailment-in-kershaw-county/462220252

Can somebody on the east coast explain the details here??? (Don't park your bulldozer on the track or foul the track in the dark isn't enough....)

Being that bulldozers do not roll easilly, was this:

(1) Vandalism ?

(2) Stupid People Trick

(3) Pissed off local people or pissed at HHH?

(4) CSX contractor/ CSX flagman-supervisor/CSX employee failure?

What reason did the bulldozer have to be near the track? Was this a CSX project or was this somebody on CSX R/W without notice or protection??

 

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 7:13 PM

I'm totally guessing here - so feel free to correct me.

Given the small size of the train, it sounds like it was a local.

I have no idea how much traffic is on that line - it's former SAL between Hamlet and Columbia.  The dozer could have been there for hours.

Unless there is track/ROW work ongoing on the track in that area (as MC questions), this is sounding like vandalism to me.  The news reports focus on the wreck - there is no mention of anyone reporting their dozer missing.  That may be a missing link.

I can't see anyone directly involved with the railroad intentionally setting up a crew to be injured, and as much as fans hate EHH, I don't see one of them doing it either.

So we're at a combination between 1 and 2 - a stupid people trick ("I wonder who will win between a bulldozer and a train!") resulting in vandalism.

We'll see what comes out of the police and railroad investigations.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 7:23 PM

mudchicken

http://www.wltx.com/news/local/bulldozer-causes-train-derailment-in-kershaw-county/462220252

Can somebody on the east coast explain the details here??? (Don't park your bulldozer on the track or foul the track in the dark isn't enough....)

Being that bulldozers do not roll easilly, was this:

(1) Vandalism ?

(2) Stupid People Trick

(3) Pissed off local people or pissed at HHH?

(4) CSX contractor/ CSX flagman-supervisor/CSX employee failure?

What reason did the bulldozer have to be near the track? Was this a CSX project or was this somebody on CSX R/W without notice or protection?? 

A concern may be that if the STAR had been on schedule then it would have hit the bulldozer .  Understand freight was placed in front due to Star's late running. 

This Star possibility may be why there seens to be a blackout on information ?

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, August 12, 2017 10:14 AM

Not freight and not US.....

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Saturday, August 12, 2017 7:32 PM

BaltACD
Not freight and not US.....

Ебена мать!

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, August 12, 2017 7:52 PM

ChuckCobleigh

 

 
BaltACD
Not freight and not US.....

 

Ебена мать!

 

Please translate "Yebyena Mat'."

Johnny

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, August 12, 2017 8:26 PM

Highlighting the text string, then right clicking the selected text and selecting 'Translate with Bing", I get "Eben Mother!".

Your phrase is "Yebyena Food"

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by RME on Saturday, August 12, 2017 10:50 PM

Deggesty
Please translate "Yebyena Mat'."

You'd probably rather not know.  On a family-friendly forum.

The original meaning is a Slavic goddess, a bit of Mother Nature and a bit of Ceres.  But remember that commercial where 'it wasn't nice to fool Mother Nature?' ... with the lightning flashing?  What kind of woman does that?  That's the common connotation of the phrase in colloquial Russian...

For our purposes, the "best" translation would be 'Holy Crap!'  But it loses quite a bit of the force in the original when cleaned up to that point...

RME
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Posted by RME on Saturday, August 12, 2017 10:54 PM

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