Cheat Mtn. Tourist rrain hit by logging truck. Appears from picture that truck broadsided the train at a protected grade crossing. Result was one or more rail cars overturned. Truck driver dead many tourists hurt. other posters have more info ? ? ?
edit: here is the link that did not post.
http://wvmetronews.com/2013/10/11/one-dead-several-injured-in-train-wreck/
Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad
Ugly Article w pictures : http://www.pocahontastimes.com/news/county/2013/10/11/truck-driver-killed-in-crash-with-tourist-train And an article with descriptions: http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/eyewitness/131011_19861.shtml It appears a loaded log truck hit the side of the train. Rgds IGN
activated
Many questions and observations.
One of the reports stated logging truck hit train at the " hitch " between the cars.
TV report showed the crossing as essentially level.
Question is was there a hill that the truck descended before the crossing ?
Truck brake condition ? also of other trucks of the logging company ?
Medical examination of truck driver may indicate if any medical problem. If a problem did he have a proper medical certificarte ?
NTSB at scene due to gov shutdown ?
One more piece with a lot of pictures http://www.weather.com/news/west-virgina-truck-train-crash-20131011 One comment: In one picture I do not see any skid marks where there should be. Rgds IGN
PS Blue Streak 1 Thanks for the links. Thx IGN
To my eye it sure looks like the road was relatively level or even uphill, no brush around the crossing, etc… Have to believe he was distracted. BTW someone on the newswire commented that he hoped the last thing going through the drivers’ mind was a log, which I find reprehensible: the death penalty for an error in judgement.
No skid marks reported by police observation either. If not distracted the driver may have had a medical problem and may not have been aware…awake…or alive…
Sick folks out there.
This Picture shows that to be the case, probably the best place for them to be hit.
My personal catagorization of truck drivers - has log truck drivers at the very bottom of the stack.
BALTACD, Give them a chance to climb a few rungs; what they do with off-the -road rigs. loaded half-again as high as the cab of the Autocar or KW they’re driving at maybe 50 or 60 mph on muddy graveled Forest Service lane and half wide “roads,” puts 'em near the skill levels of NASCAR Sprint drivers, and above the levels of most mobile home drivers .
A news wire comment that the train was on the crossing 11 seconds before impact mathematically works for any speed…10…20 mph…pick out a “tourist train” railroad’s maximum authorized speed.
The brake failure supposition should have been accompanied with driving an undisclosed or un-realized overload.
Amphetamines, Some liquid variant of No-Doz, or White Lightnin,’ mighty, mighty pleasin’, my pappy’s corn sque…my personal guess.