That would be an interesting study - how many vehicles are hit while moving (ie, running the gates), and how many are stationary on the crossing (ie, "stalled"), discounting those who may have been prevented from clearing the crossing by a vehicle in front of them.
Applying a principle of arson investigation might prove useful as well - did they stand to somehow gain (get out of payments, etc) by having the railroad wreck their vehicle?
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...
There's a crossing in West Bountiful, Utah where at different times, a car got high centered on the tracks. One of the times, the stuck car was demolished by a passing train, and the other time, train movements were held until the stuck car was removed from the tracks.
I've driven over that crossing many times and never had any problem, although a custom lowered car could have problems. Nowadays, the crossing in question is being reconfigured with an extra track for the FrontRunner commuter service.
....Probably some panic attacks involved with some drivers as one is crossing the tracks and at the last moment notices a train is approaching and then does something to allow the vehicle to "stall" and then with "thinking" skewed....can't restart the vehicle.
Quentin
Plus when cars really slow way down like that, if the car does in fact stall, it will not have enough momentum to make it over the tracks.
or people forget where they are at and are "parked" on the crossing for a red light and here comes a train.
stay safe
joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
Probably not as common as you'd think.
No scientific study needed, just simple logic. Most railroad crossing are rather rough, and many drivers slow to almost a crawl to go across them. This is the most likely time for a car to stall out, especially if it's in need of a tune up.
Can someone please explain what causes so many cars to amazingly "stall" when crossing train tracks and then come to a complete stop ON THE TRACKS?
Whenever someone gets hit by a train in their vehicle, they almost always claim their car stalled as they were crossing the tracks. A couple of years ago a guy managed to "stall" his car on the tracks. Along came a CSX train and shoves it into a Maryland commuter train.
You see it all the time in the news reports that they stalled. I think they need to do a scientific study of this. I volunteer to apply for the big research grant.
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