| Two dead as UP train slams propane truck in Okla. |
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| MEDFORD, Okla. – A propane truck heading across tracks near Highway 81 in Grant County was slammed by a train Friday, killing two people and injuring another, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol has confirmed. First responders added that a third person was injured and is being flown to Wichita, Kan., for treatment. They said a propane tanker had just filled at a gas station, headed southbound down U.S. Highway 81 and then collided with the train near a gas factory three miles south of Medford. A witness confirmed to Eyewitness News 5 that the tanker truck drove across the tracks as the train was headed toward it. There is no word of any crossing guards at the scene. The train belongs to Union Pacific, and a spokeswoman told Eyewitness News 5 that the train was possibly headed from Wichita, Kan., to Houston. An Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman said U.S. Highway 81 is closed both ways, northbound and southbound. Lt. George Brown told CNN that power lines are down in the area, Hazmat is headed to the scene but that no evacuation orders have been issued. (The preceding appeared on the Web site of television station KOCO at www.koco.com on August 29, 2008.) From UTU Website |
Thoughts and prayers to those affected. Sad to happen all around.
I heard of a CNW crew quite a few years back that came across a gasoline truck stalled on the tracks ahead around a mile up the tracks. The rookie CONDR supposedly got across the cab and killed power. ENGR got upset. Then said what he (ENGR) wanted to do was to hit max throttle, shut windows, and grab the horn for all he could. That way when the loco hit the truck the explosion would be behind the cab and hopefully it wouldn’t derail. That train stopped short. I was told that story by a friend whose father was the CONDR in the story on his first week on the job. As if their (crews) job isn’t dangerous enough…
Didn’t give the train ID, did they?
I found a news station link with aerial video of the scene and stories here. Looks like the lead, or one of the units, was either UP 9401 or 9404 or 9407. I can’t tell for sure what the last digit is on that unit but in the pic editing program I have available now that’s the best I can do.
Condolences to the family and friends of those in the truck killed.
I certainly hope that the locomotive crew is o.k as this had to be a rough situation for them, as well as frustrating. We’ll probably be hearing the detailed facts after the investigation.
For the prototype railroaders here.
After a tragedy like this, does UP typically grant a crew a mandatory period of leave time to seek counseling or get some “mental” rest? I’ve read stories of hard charging railroad officials in the past that pushed train service personnel to continue working after a crash in which loss of life occured. Hopefully that scenario no longer exists, today.
Looking at the lead unit it appears that the windshields were blown out. I would venture that either one or both of the engine crew died in the collision. I think that with third degree burns over 50%, the survivor is not likely to live to long.
It is indeed an extremely terrible event. When I was working for the IC, one of their passenger trains struck a tank truck loaded with gasoline. The engineer and fireman died, along with the newly appointed Assistant to the President taking an inspection trip and the trainmaster escorting the visitor. The details remain in my mind even after some 35 years.
The audio on the TV station video tells that the train crew were the fatalities and the truck driver was severely injured (burned I’d guess) and was life flighted out to Wichita. Video from the chopper shows a large scorched area and no remains of the propane trailer. The tractor is burned to the bare metal. Sad day. R.I.P. Brothers, R.I.P.
LC
Ed -
I didn’t catch one. Only ID was that it was definitely on the UP.
LC
I saw a reference to MWTFW.
I also saw references to other things, such as the visibility at this crossing, and legal requirements for vehicles with loads like this to stop, look, and listen at all crossings, which make this catastrophe seem totally senseless.
This is, truely, a tragedy… I just don’t get it. You’d think that with the specialized training and endorsements required (never mind common sense) to drive a truck loaded with propane, the driver would’ve been clear of the tracks as the train approached. This was a rural crossing for crying out loud, so gridlock couldn’t have been a factor.
I’ve had several near misses with propane, gasoline and hazmat trucks, even school busses. Put someone behind the wheel for a while and it seems they forget what RR tracks and warnings mean.
LC
My last trip, we had a police car blow the lights and race in front of us. We were a small and fast train.
our prayers go to the families. We had a woman pass us while the gates were down and kids in the back seat(jumping up and down).makes me wonder sometimes.
stay safe
joe
If this job originated in Wichita, then most likely it would have been the WTFW heading to Ft.Worth. For last several months, this train has been running on BNSF rights from Wichita-FTW but atleast on this day it was on home rails. Crews working south of Wichita are based @ Chickasha w/Wichita as the AFHT. Really shakes one up when something happens close to home.
If that truck driver lives through this, with the lawsuits that are probably going to happen against him, he’ll wish he died.
Ok, Fort Worth, not Port Terminal…man, what a horrible way to go.
I know of two similar incidents and one near miss on my first and only cab ride on the CN Super Continental.
The first incident I can think of was where one of the Original Twin Cities Zephyrs was destroyed in Texas during WWII after it struck a loaded Gasoline tanker that failed to stop.
The other was the San Joaquin Daylight that struck a loaded gasoline tanker that killed the entire crew as well as the truck driver and many passengers were killed and injured as well as a GS steam loco totally destroyed. It was also the first incident where SP lost lightweight streamlined cars as well.
The incident I was scared over was on the CN Super Continental running about 1 hour late out of Edmonton eastbound and a station wagon driven by a woman and with it full of kids just barely beat us through the crossing. The engineer stated that the woman probably thought it was a slower moving freight train as the passenger trains always ran on time. That day was not the case and my heart was in my throat. I don’t believe we missed the rear of the station wagon by more than a pack of cigarettes.
To the families of the UP crew my condolences and to the truck drivers family may he return to them wiser and not put them through the anguish they are going through now.
Al - in - Stockton
what are you talking about. gee there is no special training to drive a propane truck you have a test on what to do if your inn a accident if you have a hazmat spill, how far to evacuate and the endorsments is just a thing on your lic to show you took test and know enough to operate a truck with hazmat. no more no less, in the last week ive avoided hitting 2 school busses 2 fuel trucks and even a crew transport cab. ive missed firetrucks ( no lights) and even several cops and they are supposed to give tickets to violaters. they didnt ticket them selves.
Our jobs have got safer over the years but when reality strikes its a slap in the face wake up and reminder, that you might leave home and go to work but that dont mean your going home.
RIP
Does anyone know the exact situation at that crossing regarding what sort of signals. The initial post said something about “no crossing guards” at the crossing, but if the explosion was that bad any gates wouldn’t have survived.
It was on a US highway, there had to at least be flashing reds.
Just curious if anybody knows the crossing.
I did not see a flasher signal on either roadway at the xing…81 is a major roadway thru OK this looks like a business rt from I-35…
Man that is terrible !