TAMPA - Amtrak engineer Billy Parker felt lucky to survive a deadly 1993 train and diesel tanker crash.
Distraught, Parker quit running trains for a decade. He joined a nonprofit to teach the public about the dangers of rail crossings.
He returned to the controls three years ago, terrified of another collision.
On Wednesday, it came. A semi-truck stopped on the tracks in front of Amtrak’s Silver Star, causing a crash that killed the truck’s driver.
“Your life goes in slow motion,” said Parker, 55. “I went into the engine room and that saved my life.”
The crash occurred 1:45 p.m. at CSX Intermodal in east Tampa. Parker was driving his usual route from New York to Miami. Train No. 91 carried 75 passengers, said Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell. With a crew of 14, the train left Lakeland and was nearing Ybor City when Parker saw a truck stopped on private tracks at 1901 N. 62nd St.
He knew it was going to be bad, he said. He put on the emergency brake and got on the radio, knowing he could do no more.
“Hold on,” he told the conductor. “We’re going to hit it.”
I’ve headed into the engine room a few times myself over the years. It’s tough to know when to give up on the whistle and head back for safety…
However, when running a suburban train from the cab-car, you are only two feet from the front window (and the front of the train) and there is nowhere to go in the event of a major collision; it’s even worse for the passengers in the seats below the cab.
Without programs like Operation Lifesaver in this country, I think the fatalities from grade crossing accidents would be much higher. Even with Operation Lifesaver, we still have far too many people who will approach a grade crossing and not bother to look in both directions for a possible train. They fail to use their eyes and they fail to use their ears.
I could begin a new hobby of documenting grade crossing accidents that involve fatalities just to prove my point, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. I have started to bookmark the web sites of a lot of major news papers.
The Angles were riding with Mr. Parker and train 91.As in most cases the train didnt have to leave the track for an accident, this truck like so many others found its way to the train. Until the States in which all trains travel donates sufficent time and money, Operation Lifesaver will remain as it is today, a tool to teach, unfortunately, it doesnt save lives in rural areas with no warning devices. The FRA is way to lenient with all rail carriers when it comes to Grade Crossing protection and accidents. Until someone steps up to resolve this issue, the terror Mr. Parker felt on Train 91, will continue to be the fear which lingers in the minds of all Train and Engine crews. Fortunately the angles do ride the rails more times than not.
That scrap metal must have been a terrible bomb. The engineer did right going to the aft engine room. I would.
I would like to see all rail elevated 20 feet above ground crossings or buried under. Or even European style crossings with seperate car/truck paths along with very beefy gates that mean business. Alas all of that cost money. How much is one life worth? Or that of a train crew mentally scarred and unable to take another train out?
My initial thought is for the train crew and everyone involved. Then I think why does that trucker not put the rig in low gear low range and stand on the starter motor? That is one of the commandments that was pounded in at my school. (Partly due to the many rail crossings we have to cross)
No. There will be more collisions in the future. Just hope it aint a 6000 gallon propane tanker versus train. That will be hell on earth.
It is up to the local D.O.T. to provide the money for the crossing protection at grade crossings so don’t be so quick to blame the RR like some trial lawyers. The DOT provides the money for the intial installation and then the RR takes over maintaining the crossing protection equipment. The incident appears to have happened at a private crossing, which means the “owner” of the crossing is responsible for its safety. I can see Amtrak suing the owner of the crossing for damages like loco repair, passenger inconvience, etc.
DOT is ineffective and too buried in politics to be effective in the field.
A decade ago a local cop saved my life by pulling me over and standing in front of my rig repeating to me that DOT did NOT change the low bridge cleareance sign to the proper height of 13’ instead of 13’ 6" It took 2 hours of yelling back and forth but he taught me that DOT is not capable of updating or maintaining anything. Not in Mechanicsburg PA, not anywhere.
Appareently they paved under the bridge and reduced the clearance by at least half a foot, I would have gone chugging to my death that day.
Until the DRIVERS start using common sense then accidents like this will continue to happen. The absense of signal lights should be a warning to take MORE caution when crossing.
Do you think? Crossings protected by flashers and gates are also the site of many fatalaties, people are just in a hurry to die. When a truck stops on a crossing (protected or not) and makes no attempt to flee his vehicle, its no accident, it’s suicide by train. If someone wants to die that badly, get a gun. The emotional stress this causes engine and train crews, as well as passengeers is unbearable. Until concrete security barriers, such as those used at the entrance to White House and Capital Building are installed (something we’ll ever see ) grade crossing accidents will continue to happen, and good, hard working people going to work just to make a living, will continue to die or be mentally and physically scared. This is something that train crews face on a daily basis