UP freight clips back of low boy carrying a small crane.in Portland, Or.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/04/freight_train_clips_rear_end_o.html
when will they ever learn ??
Never!
Apparently one driver at a time, it seems…
It’s possible that the warning signal wasn’t working properly. That happend to me once…in downtown Toronto. So if can happen in a large city it can happen on a country road. The article didn’t mention anything about an investigation…
I suspect that the crossing signal (I didn’t see one, but the hit trailer could have nailed it) had nothing to do with it. I suspect that the truck was stopped at the intersection of the road paralleling the tracks, in pretty much the spot where you see the cab. He didn’t clear the tracks because there wasn’t enough room for him. It would appear that there are no traffic signals at this intersection, so he took a risk by crossing the track and hoping traffic would clear in time. Perhaps the big load was longer than he was accustomed to handling at this spot.
I think there was an error in the linked article when it reported that they took the driver to a hospital. Looks to me like after the collision he had a bigger need to go to a laundromat to wash his trousers.[(-D]
Is it possible, the driver was taken to the hospital to have blood drawn for alcohol or drug testing? Do you have to have an enhanced CDL to haul this type of equipment?
A careful examination of Google Maps satellite photos shows this is actually an industrial driveway (to what looks like a crane company lot and service facility) rather than a street. No crossing protection and clearly insufficient room between street and tracks for a big rig.
(1) Ex-truckdriver…back to a Class C (no CDL)
(2) Private Crossing? - ex-crossing (revoke the license?..YEP, MP 15.49 DOT# 808347V bye-bye x-ing, doesn’t need to be there)
Murph:
Blood test after an accident is a possible.
You can bet that the first thing a driver of a T/T will be asked for is his Log Book ( Check for no violation of Hours of Service.)
If there is a personal injury, There has to be a blood test within a specified time limit.
Many State MV Enforcement types have the authority to pull the engine’s computer, if there is a high level of property damage/or serious personal injury. This would probably take place if the on-site log book (Drivers) review was problematic. The Daily Equipment Review record would also be looked at as well, particularly, if the accident were involving a negative of the truck’s mechanical condition.
Also since about 2000 there has been new laws enacted that are particularly aimed at increasing the safet of highway/railroad grade crossing accidents. Punitative damages(fines) to driver based on number of violations of Highway grade crossing violations and to the drivers employer as well.
I think its finally time to put steering wheels in locomotives so we can avoid things like this.
The grade crossing is at about these Lat./ Long. Coords. (per ACME Mapper 2.0): N 45.55415 W 122.51891
But I’d interpolate this crossing as being at about NE 140th Ave., not “Northeast 142st Avenue” as stated in the article linked above in the Original Post.
Pretty sure I drove along that line in that neighborhood on NE Sandy Blvd. when I was in Portland a few years back.
- Paul North.
If the state M/V or law enforcement people pull the tapes (old Pulse recorder) or the newer solid stae equipment (3 makes), they are considerably dumber than they already look at a railroad accident scene:
(1) Don’t know where the recorders are
(2) Don’t know how to download the info (specialized software and resultant hardware)
(3) Can’t interpret what’s going on. (Almost all state agencies are railroad stupid - people are starting to believe the CSI crap on TV really happens in stupidly short timeframes[(-D])…Let the railroad operating folks pul down the data and provide the required on-scene measurements and then get a result thru working with the railroad police.
mudchicken- Isn’t Sam talking about pulling tapes our of the truck, not the locomotive?
I also got the impression that Sam was referring to the data on the truck. OTOH, I would hope that the MV people are better at reading data off the truck black boxes than the event recorders on locomotives.
- Erik
Unless the truck is equipped with a GPS recording device there is nothing that can be gained by accessing the trucks computers. The state DOT cops routinely confiscate the cell phones of CDL holders in accidents. Federal law states that the fine for a CDL driver texting behind the wheel is $1700 for the first offense but the company gets a $11,000 fine. This law has also been extended to any communication device that requires either one hand operation and the removal of sight from the road. The only device allowed is a CB radio and or company radio. This removes cell phones, laptops, and any other 2 way communicating devices. Big brother is watching. Cell phone and data retrieval does not require a search warrant.
Last summer one of our drivers was involved in a fatal crash when a motor cycle broad sided the trailer at an intersection controlled by a 4 way stop sign. Even though he was not at fault he still lost his license, cell phone, and was out of work for 60 days. When it was time for official review the court postponed until further investigation could be done. More than 9 months went by before he finally had his day in court and was reinstated. The judge told him he was treated as guilty until proven innocent. CDL drivers are being targeted.
Pete
People need to realize this on CDL Drivers with the CSA 2010 what that Driver did he already lost his License for 90 days. He can not get a JOB for the Next 3 Years at Minimum as he is at what in CSA calls UNEMPLOYABLE with that accident. Now remember this we do not know if he had a Failure in the Systems in the Truck that a download of the ECM would show. With the EPA regs that were Mandated in 2007 the engines from 2007-2010 were NOT the best in Reliablity. When you see Fleets retiring 08-09 trucks and KEEPING their 06 models you know there is something wrong with them.
One Local Company Finally retired his 2000 Model Trucks and replaced them this year after 12 Years why he tried a truck in 07 and said HELL NO to them back then. His trucks have between 1.5-2.5 MILLION miles on them and he is getting a Premium for trade-in as they are Old 60 Series Detroits with Series4 controls on them that are rare right now. Yes the Driver was wrong for not being Clear of the Crossing but he could have had a Failure that PREVENTED HIM FROM GETTING CLEAR OF THE CROSSING ALSO. Heavy Haulers do not take chances with Million Dollar Cranes or anything Oversize as the Insurance costs will Kill them fast. So until the final report is OUT quit Speculating.
And take all the fun out of the forum?[:D]
I know Exactly What that Driver what that person is going thru. Try being me when 16 Years ago I was in a Fatal Accident. Well before the Final report was out people that were in the State Police were Wanting MY HEAD on a Platter why 2 of the guys that investigated the case were his friends of the guy that died. They were pushing for Vecihular Homicide charges against me BEFORE THE truck had ever been inspected. The DA refused when it turned out I lost a Parking Brake line that Exploded on the LF Drive Axle and locked up that axle. So no way could I have prevented that Jacknife I was in. That and a BAC of .24 in the Deceased would have destroyed their Case.
The Greater Portland Metro area has a population of more than 2 Million, I’d say that qualifies as a large city. Sandy Blvd is NOT a “Country Road” Unfortunately, I had not seen this thread yet, when I drove past this location less than four hours ago, I would have paid more attention to the specific place. The MFG company that I drive for is less than a mile away(and is an on-line customer of UP).
The signal protected public grade crossings in the area are 138th Ave, 148th Ave and 158th Ave, where my company is located. If this was at approximately 142nd Ave as reported, it was an unprotected private crossing.
I KNOW at 138th Ave, there is not enough room for even a day cab tractor and a 48’ trailer to cross the tracks and clear the tracks. I believe it is the same at 148th, but I never use that crossing in a truck. At 158th, there is just room for a truck with either a 53, or a set of doubles to clear the tracks, just one car and you have to wait for the signal before crossing the tracks.
My educated guess is that the driver was leaving the business, crossing the tracks southbound, He would HAVE to cross the tracks to be able see traffic on Sandy Blvd, before he could enter traffic. There is NO crossing or traffic signal at the private crossing I believe this to have happened at, the driver probably did not see the train, crossed the tracks to enter Sandy Blvd, which is a VERY busy road, and did not get a break in traffic in time to clear the tracks. There are sveral businesses that are land-locked with crossing the tracks as their only access, grade seperation is NOT an option in this location. This is on the Kenton line in/out