I would think what ever was on the side of the track were the trailer is laying was wipe out by the wreck
Really shouldn’t be blaming the truck driver too much for this. A load this size with escorts should have had route approved before hand and he is not allowed to deviate from that route. His escorts should hold most of the blame. Now he should have found some way to vacate the tracks after realizing he couldn’t make the turn and let the highway parol sort out what to do.
THere is cell-phone video available of the collision today (just Google it), shot by a young girl who was riding in a vehicle with her mother and came upon the traffic jam created by the oversize load straddling the tracks. The video begins about 5-6 seconds before the collision and shows the oversize load across the tracks, and the Amtrak engine striking it squarely in the middle of the trailer.
Apparently a couple things did work right: crash protection for the cab, and fuel tank protection. Hope that’s true, anyway.
I agree your comment is right on the mark, to add each grade crossing is equipped with an emergency notification sign which gives information of the owner of the RR’s telephone# and the grade crossing ID a 6 digit# followed by a letter just think what a simple phone call could have done, what we might call an ounce of prevention, trains can stop but not quickly, I just can not believe having a state police escort they did not contact the RR if they were having problems making the turn to cross the tracks
I have personally called one of these numbers posted at a crossing to report a signal that wouldn’t shut off after a train passed and none were around. I was watching trains, so I wasn’t going any
I was watching trains once when I saw a crossing signal that wouldn’t shut off after the train passed. I wasn’t leaving soon anyway and called the number on the crossing. It rang for over half an hour before I gave up. However, the police should have had a direct line to the dispatcher. If not, 15 minutes is enough time to send someone walking down the tracks far enough to flag the train. The one thing we don’t know is how long law enforcement had been on the scene or aware of the problem, We only know that the truck had been there 15 minutes.
It would be a fairly simple and cheap solution to have a pull station at each crossing that could be triggered in case of emergency. Pull stations are required near the exits in most public buildings and it is rare to have a false alarm. The alarm could send a signal straight to the engineer.
truck need to know with the trun will take and how long truck will take.
I have seen road signs at grade (level) crossings in Scotland that PROHIBITED oversize vehicle from even approaching the rail line until phone contact made to the railroad dispatch department.Land line phone on both sides of rail line provided. (Incidentally one of these crossings on a well used rail line did NOT have barrier gates.
Ex-State Trooper, I hope.
North Carolina seems to have an inordinate amount of train vs. truck grade crossing collisions, especially involving “hung-up” low-clearance trailers. Are ‘hogback’ crossings a tradition in NC? I think the NC DOT should be taken to task. Now!
The crossing warning signal is evident above the 2d brown bus, flat on the ground.
Barrier gates are useless, unless those that drive around them are prosecuted.
Regardless of the failure of the cop to call the railroad and warn the oncoming train, the truck driver was ultimately responsible for the safe transportation of his load, and is therefore fully at fault for this train wreck.
It seems to me that the only thing that might slow down the kind of behavior that leads to these kinds of accidents is to hit the at-fault party in the wallet, and hit them hard. If you drive a tricycle, bicycle, motorcycle, car, truck, tank, wth-ever and you cause a grade crossing accident, then you, the company you work for, or your survivors, should be held liable for every penny of the cost of the accident. You should have to pay for the locomotives, cars, crossing and road fixtures, passenger liabilities and anything else involved. Folks may not care about their personal safety or the safety of others, but the prospect of bankruptsy might get their attention.
Mr. Symonds, how is a Douglas fir on the Pacific coast relevant? What matters is the line of trees there next to the scene of the wreck. For those who doubt the statement that the engine went above it, I do too, but it could have happened after the video ends, so we don’t know for sure.
Once again our trucker friends ignore rail crossings. I am betting on a non-union truck driver.
Yes, Mr Conaway, Drivers are usually held responsible and are charged accordingly. Last May a Florida truck driver parked his rig on a grade crossing in Topton Pa. to get directions. NS then proceeded to shred his empty trailer and thankfully no one was injured. He was charged with risking a catastrophe and had to pay all damages to railroad property.
I would suggest a sensor similar to that on a garage door could detect a blocked crossing and trigger railroad signals to turn red.
Those caught in the traffic jam are lucky this wasn’t a crude oil train.