Their is a video on WSOC TV 9 that shows the train hitting the trailer.
One news report says he stalled on the tracks. Looking at the intersection in Google Earth Street View it’s a pretty safe bet he stopped for the traffic light while still on the track.
See video linked @ http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=train+wreck%2Fhalifax%2Cnc%3F&qpvt=Train+wreck%2FHalifax%2CNC%3F&FORM=VQFRML#view=detail&mid=5DA03E297165781D265C5DA03E297165781D265C
Video was shot by a motorist apparently waiting for the load to clear the intersection(?) [suguest turn you sound down on viewing video]. Large modular structure had a NC State Police escort, [other videos are available with FD/PD dispatch traffic on them.] It was being reported that 50 people were transported injured from scene.
Yes but most of the “injured” were transported to the hospital by bus. Only the real injured people went by ambulance.
I am going to have to lay the cause of this incident at the hands of the NC Trooper that was escorting the oversized load. He should have called the Railroad prior to the truck EVER occupying the crossing and requested that rail traffic be held until the load had cleared the crossing. Carriers will honor such requests from local authorities. With the crossing being on CSX, they have posted at every road crossing, on the crossbuck statnion, both the contact number as well as the DOT identification number of the crossing so there is no confusion as to which crossing is the one to be protected.
FTL:[snipped]"… investigators were piecing together why emergency railroad dispatchers apparently weren’t told that Black was struggling to negotiate a tight turn across the tracks with a load nearly 16 feet wide and tall, weighing 127 tons and stretching for 164 feet…
The locomotive’s “black box” was recovered, and investigators will review the state permit that enabled Turner to exceed length and weight limits while hauling the electrical distribution facility to New Jersey.
The route, including the fateful turn at the railroad crossing, was designed to avoid several highway overpasses along Interstate 95 that would have been too risky to get under with such a tall load, officials said.
Long-established protocols require truck drivers and trooper escorts to “clear their routes and inform the railroad dispatchers what they’re doing,” said Steve Ditmeyer, a former Federal Railroad Administration official.
Failing that, a toll-free emergency number prominently displayed at each crossing reaches dispatchers who can radio trains to stop…"
BALTACD had pointed out the truth od the very last sentence in a previous Forum post.
Normally, in the movement of many wide loads, it is the ‘ESCORT’ of that load that bears the responsibility for the safe
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is stating that the permit holder is responsible for checking the route, and I’m assuming making the emergency call.
“The one purpose of the patrol member is to basically make sure that unit is being correctly moved from point A to point B. … Our trooper did not make the wrong decision.”
I’m not sure I agree with that when there is a clear danger to the public’s safety. And yes, the NCSHP spokesman’s name is Jeff Gordon.
Emergency call might have prevented Halifax Amtrak derailment - Raleigh News & Observer
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article13183625.html#storylink=cpy
Seems no one was in charge of notifying the RR:
“Alerting the railroad wasn’t the responsibility of the trooper, who had only 25 seconds or so to react after the approaching New York-bound train set off warning lights and the crossing arms came down, North Carolina Highway Patrol Spokesman Lt. Jeff Gordon said.”
Read the full story:
Folks we be also in reading "She said she rolled down her window and asked a flag man if he could alert the railroad, but “he said he didn’t think so.”
So, the fault is back to the tracking company and the state for poor planning and management of this move. Darn that Amtrack for putting a train on them tracks!
[quote user="dubch87
“The one purpose of the patrol member is to basically make sure that unit is being correctly moved from point A to point B. … Our trooper did not make the wrong decision.”
[/quote]
Think about that statement. Wouldn’t making sure that RR crossing protocols were being followed be part of that duty ?.
North Carolina Highway Patrol Spokesman Lt. Jeff Gordon seems to be bucking for night shift foot patrol every time he opens his mouth.
A follow-up from The News & Observer (nothing new, really, but thought I’d share).
Road Worrier: NC unclear on Trooper training, duties for big-truck escort
Typical CYA.
OK, Suppose that I agree that the trooper is there to protect the public from the movement.
The company making the movement should be required to have its own escorts fore and aft, and they should be trained for all circumstances. North Dakota laws require this, but then we do not have all that many troopers to begin with, and the State Police are shut down at late night with nobody scheduled to be on duty other than to be on call. (mayhap the increase in oil activity has changed this over the past four years). Still, huge movements (270’ tall wind towers with 100’ long blades) all move without troopers. They have their own protection vehicles. And they have lots of radio antenas AND a tall mast that will warn of any low overhead that would strike the shipment.
One of the largest shipments ever on state roads was a pair of drying units for the ethanol plant here in Richardton. Once the parked these units, they built the building around them.
There MUST me a movement officer with all such movements and they must be in constant contact with authorities including railroads.
ROAR
I was a bit surprised to see that a State Trooper was providing the escort for an oversize movement. I’m not sure of what the law requires, but in the Chicago area, most oversize moves have private escorts, usually about two or three per move. There are several firms that provide this service.
With the train so close, the truck should never have been allowed to cross unless the train was pre-warned and prepared to stop. You can’t rely on the 25-second crossing signal warning to allow the truck to clear the crossing.
I would think the train should be prepared to stop if the crossing event is started less than 30 minutes from the time the train will arrive. If the train is more than 30 minutes away, and not prepared to stop, that would allow ample time to contact the railroad to stop the train.
That is not how it is done!
Railroad & Dispatcher get notified of attempt to cross.
Dispatcher advises if there are any trains that must pass before crossing is attempted and gets notified by the crossing party that the identified trains have passed and is then given permission to cross the crossing.
Dispatcher blocks off Control Points on either side of crossing until party reports the move has been completed and track is OK to resume traffic.
These are not unusual requests and are handled in a routine matter.
[quote user=“Euclid”]
BaltACD
Euclid
With the train so close, the truck should never have been allowed to cross unless the train was pre-warned and prepared to stop. You can’t rely on the 25-second crossing signal warning to allow the truck to clear the crossing.
I would think the train should be prepared to stop if the crossing event is started less than 30 minutes from the time the train will arrive. If the train is more than 30 minutes away, and not prepared to stop, that would allow ample time to contact the railroad to stop the train.That is not how it is done!
Railroad & Dispatcher get notified of attempt to cross.
Dispatcher advises if there are any trains that must pass before crossing is attempted and gets notified by the crossing party that the identified trains have passed and is then given permission to cross the crossing.
Dispatcher blocks off Control Points on either side of crossing until party reports the move has been completed and track is OK to resume traffic.These are not unusual requests and are handled in a routine matter.
[quote user=“Euclid”]
BaltACD
Euclid
With the train so close, the truck should never have been allowed to cross unless the train was pre-warned and prepared to stop. You can’t rely on the 25-second crossing signal warning to allow the truck to clear the crossing.
I would think the train should be prepared to stop if the crossing event is started less than 30 minutes from the time the train will arrive. If the train is more than 30 minutes away, and not prepared to stop, that would allow ample time to contact the railroad to stop the train.That is not how it is done!
Railroad & Dispatcher get notified of attempt to cross.
Dispatcher advises if there are any trains that must pass before crossing is attempted and gets notified by the crossing party that the identified trains have passed and is then given permission to cross the crossing.
Dispatcher blocks off Control Points on either side of crossing until party reports the move has been completed and track is OK to resume traffic.These are not unusual requests and are handled in a routine matter.
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It would be productive if some one could find a copy of the NC state patrol policy manual on blocked RR crossings. As well for comparsion what other state’s manuals say.