Metra vs Multiple Cars

[Green Bay Paddlers]

LOL - Logged on just to check the "railroad experts" from all around the country give their in-depth analysis of this wreck based on no actual data.

Come on guys. Let the injured heal and the real pro's investigate the loss. I feel terrible for the engineer as well as those who were injured.

Shelve the negative comments for now...

[eastside]

The engineer must have slowed the train considerably by the time of the collision because no one was killed immediately. I've never heard of a train taking out so many cars in one blow.

[Chris_S68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by R.W. King

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR



And right away, the news coverage starts going toward what the engineer may have done wrong, and how fast he should have been going. That is disgusting--the engineer was more helpless than the drivers of the cars on the crossing (they should have been able to help themselves by heeding the warning on that big overhead sign!).

One reporter even mentioned something about how positive train control could have helped in this situation and how the engineer may have run a stop signal! I'm thinking it was the reporter who's signals were a bit crossed.

The problem with reporters speaking on things they know nothing about, is that people end up believing their tripe. All the safety equipment in the world cannot guard against ignorance.

[Anonymous]

As of 7:30pm trains started moving at 10mph through the scene.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR



And right away, the news coverage starts going toward what the engineer may have done wrong, and how fast he should have been going. That is disgusting--the engineer was more helpless than the drivers of the cars on the crossing (they should have been able to help themselves by heeding the warning on that big overhead sign!).

One reporter even mentioned something about how positive train control could have helped in this situation and how the engineer may have run a stop signal! I'm thinking it was the reporter who's signals were a bit crossed.

[CShaveRR]

Jay, I don't buy the possibility of the gates malfunctioning or not functioning. There were a number of witnesses who said that the gates did go down.

I strongly suspect that heavier-than-normal traffic was backed up from the traffic signal to the west of the crossing. No, I don't know how many blocks away this signal is, and it doesn't matter. There were a bunch of people who ignored the warning sign here, which says "Long Crossing--Do Not Stop On Tracks". The shots of the scene seem to indicate that all of the cars involved had been going westbound. If the crossing is so long that people can't see their way to safety, it should be a candidate for separation.

And right away, the news coverage starts going toward what the engineer may have done wrong, and how fast he should have been going. That is disgusting--the engineer was more helpless than the drivers of the cars on the crossing (they should have been able to help themselves by heeding the warning on that big overhead sign!).

(Quentin, a couple of shots panned further down the track and showed the stopped train. A second train also was there, moved in to pick up the passengers from the first one. The distance of the train from the crossing was not all that great--leads me to believe that the brakes had been applied well before the time of impact.)

[beaulieu]

Word that I have heard is that 4 cars were hit by the train but that these cars were then thrown into other cars. So some of the victims were not in cars on the tracks.

[senshi]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mloik

Just watched some of the Ch 5 live feed on-line. Pretty sad coverage: "drivers in cars on tracks are the victims, and the trains are at fault." They seem to be convinced that the signals were not working, instead of the possibility that fools may have gone around gates in a ru***o get home before a major holiday.

Frustrating.

With the gates working or not you shouldn't be stopped on the tracks. Unfortunatly a lot of people don't heed that warning.

[Anonymous]

And so it starts, Dumb Commuters rushing to get home to get kids and then ru***o the airport for the extended holiday weekend.

[Anonymous]

This RR crossing is a nasty one! Sets at about a 10 to 15 degree angle. The crossing itself is over 100ft long! That means that to look both directions you must look forward and backwards over your shoulder. At the same time you must pay attention to traffic around you. Add to this a traffic signal at a road intersection not far from the crossing. Mighty difficult situation at night. Let's pray that the victims of this tragedy(road and rail) make it through and that something is done to make this crossing a safer one.

[Modelcar]

....Late word had the dozen hurt and at least one critical.....Haven't heard one word of where the train is...In general, they always hold a train that's involved in an accident but didn't see this one at all....Of course it must have stayed on the tracks..{ that's a wonder after hitting that many vehicles}....and maybe it was just beyond camera range.

[rrnut282]

Does Metra have video cameras in the cabs?

[mloik]

Just watched some of the Ch 5 live feed on-line. Pretty sad coverage: "drivers in cars on tracks are the victims, and the trains are at fault." They seem to be convinced that the signals were not working, instead of the possibility that fools may have gone around gates in a ru***o get home before a major holiday.

Frustrating.

[jeaton]

The accident ocured east of the junction of the Metra Milwaukee West and the CN line that Metra uses for the service to Antioch. The Metra-Milwaukee-CP crosses Harlem at an angle making it a rather long street crossing. Harlem is a major street in that area and at any one point there would be a substantial number of cars going over the crossing. Fullerton Avenue is parallel and adjacent to the tracks at the crossing and some of the cars involved may have been on that street.

Eye witnesses said the gates did not go down. Given the number car involved, I buy that. This certainly wasn't a case of some dummy trying to beat the train

Search "Metra" on Google news for more updates.

Jay

PS But then maybe I am wrong. I still think malfunctioning gates may have been involved. It is not like this is a rarely used stretch of track. In addition to Metra's trains, CP also has freight traffic.

[Anonymous]

Live feed from Channel 5 on their site shows interview with eyewitness in one of the cars. He said that cars were going around the gates and that all warning devices were operating for "about a minute " before the train arrived at the crossing. From his description it sounds like there was a big holiday traffic jam at that location and people realized too late that they were on the tracks and couldn't get off due to the crush of traffic ahead and behind them. A good reason to stop clear IMMEDIATELY when the warning devices activate. A 60 mph commuter train won't stop on a dime...

LC

[CSXrules4eva]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BaltACD

Flamer must have been a Pinto. :)

I really do like your signature picture, that is a prefict example of how the cars that got struck by the scoot look after the accident. lol

Well, my thoughts and prayers go out to the people involved and the families of people that were hurt, if their are any. God Bless

Some people never learn. under no curcumstances do you pull your car on the tracks in a traffic jam, waiting for a red light or anything. I think what happened here involved one car pulling up on the tracks and stoping, then others followed his/her example, imagine that, I see it all the time. In the end they all payed for their actions.

[Anonymous]

[:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O][:O]]

Heard about it on the radio, 2 minutes later my dad calls up and says, big train crash. And i went right by it too. It was so crowded though i didnt see anything but a stopped Metra train!!

[Anonymous]

CNN now reporting 13 injured 1 critical, apparently none injured on train.

LC

[BaltACD]

Flamer must have been a Pinto. :)

[Randy Stahl]

Do not stop on tracks !!!! Hope fully every one exited their vehicles when they realized why those signs are there.
Randy

[Anonymous]

From ABC& TV News Chicago:

Metra train strikes multiple cars
November 23, 2005 (Elmwood Park, IL) - There is breaking news in northwest suburban Elmwood Park where a Metra train has struck several vehicles. It happened on Grand near Harlem in that suburb.

At least 10 ambulances have been called to the scene. It is unclear if anyone on board the train was injured but about a dozen vehicles are involved in the crash. This is a long crossing at Grand and Harlem.
It is not clear why so many vehicles were on the tracks at the time.

A Metra spokesman says a train heading from downtown Chicago to Antioch struck several vehicles during the holiday rush hour this afternoon.

Spokesman Patrick Waldron says at least one of the vehicles burst into flames as a result of the accident.

There was no information available regarding injuries.

Waldron says the train probably was carrying several hundred passengers when the collision occurred. It left Chicago's Union Station at 4:25 p.m.

[CSXrules4eva]

I wonder were the five cars filled with really dumb people that descided to beat the train?? I guess the scoot must of been going pretty darn fast to beat up five cars then "set" one on fire.

[senshi]

Watching TV just now and the Chicago news reports are showing an accident involving a Metra train and at least 5 cars. (looks to be more to me)

It occured at the Elmwood Park station on the Milwaukee West lines, just south of O'Hare on Grand Ave. At least one car was on fire.

Don't know about injuries but the cars look pretty beat up.