NEAR MISS---NOBODY AT FAULT.

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Here is something. A Metro Transit bus stopping just in time to clear an LRT train, but the crossing arm comes down on top of the bus. Tonight Fox 9 News reported that Metro Transit who operates both the bus and the train states that nobody was at fault. This is how it was reported:

"Bus driver stopped, and avoided crash

Both the light-rail train operator and the bus driver “did what they should have done,” a Metro Transit official said."

Here is the link:

http://www.startribune.com/local/27092754.html?elr=KArks:DCiUnP::DE8c7PiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU

Here is another link to the actual incident:

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7184741&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

So I guess the question is this: If the train had hit the bus, would somebody have been at fault then?

And-- was the semi driver in the other thread at fault when the gate came down on top of his or her truck???

2

My guess is if there actually was an accdent them sombody would be at fault lol

The truck driver in the other thread could have avoided the accdent if he has just stayed where he was, the truck was clear of the track the train was on

3

this is a true statement see the bus pulled up made his stop then the signal lights activated, he stayed put. I just wonder how close he was to the crossing ( rail) as i believe he has to stop no closer than 15 ft from the nearest rail may be 30 not sure anymore. and if the lights activate your not breaking the law just dont move . it may be nerve racking sitting that close but its better than having that train in the driver seat with you

4

The article says this:

According to a Metro Transit report, the bus stopped 39 feet from the northbound track and 49 feet from the southbound track, which carried the approaching train.

It seems like the gate must be an awfully long way back from the track. If the bus was 39 feet back from the track and the gate was on top of the bus still further back, the gate must be 40-50 feet from the track. Apparently the bus passed the raised gate and then made a safety stop for the crossing. Then the gate came down on him while he was stopped.

I assume that as long as you don’t enter a crossing against the flashing lights, you have committed no wrong if a gate happens to come down on top of you before you clear the crossing.

5

The skew angle of the crossing has more to do with this than what some people are seeing. The gates are set at right angles to the road and are possitioned opposite each other to cut off cars going around the gates. (not parallel to the tracks)