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Report: Several errors led to fatal Midland collision
Does not matter if you are doing everything right. Dummies still run the signals and gates. How can the engine crew prevent that? They can’t. Back in the steam days, when I was on the engine, we had a car run the signals right in front of this big steam engine with the bell and whistle going full blast. Cut the car in half right behind the drivers seat, I mean two seperate pieces of the car. We were in emergency and still slid at least a half mile. Finally got stopped and the two brakemen were already back there. Nobody hurt, driver needed his pants changed and a new car. Train crew pretty shook up too. What can you do, nothing!! Had narry a mark on the engine!
Does not matter if you are doing everything right. Dummies still run the signals and gates. How can the engine crew prevent that? They can’t. Back in the steam days, when I was on the engine, we had a car run the signals right in front of this big steam engine with the bell and whistle going full blast. Cut the car in half right behind the drivers seat, I mean two seperate pieces of the car. We were in emergency and still slid at least a half mile. Finally got stopped and the two brakemen were already back there. Nobody hurt, driver needed his pants changed and a new car. Train crew pretty shook up too. What can you do, nothing!! Had narry a mark on the engine!
From what I just read the railroad played little to no part in this tragedy. The town, event organizers and the drivers of the vehicles pulling the floats are to blame. Yet, like in many instances like this they (those involved) sue those they “feel” is responsible ignoring their own mistakes and faults and go after those with the deepest pockets. So, basically I don’t feel the railroad owns the victims anything in the way of damages.
…A SAD COINSIDENCE
I wonder how the Union Pacific engineer and conductor are doing. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be properly and attentively doing your job and have a person or vehicle come into your path without warning.
Climate change is real and undeniable; proof is that Guse’s communique contained only about 5% vitriol…hell is colder… near 32F.
Without using the same terms or phrases, I agree with what he said (and what other respondents have said.)
Never in my reality, dreams or very rare hallucinations would I perceive an excuse that a trucker hearing a “train horn” at a “quiet crossing” would think that the sounding of the horn was a signal to proceed over a crossing.
Nor would I think a trucker’s first impression upon seeing a train’s headlight in advance of a crossing think the train was stopped.
50 trains a day thru the town, and this trucker didn’t see, observe, learn what they do; did they import this guy from Greenland? The day before?
The awesome, meaning your (G) god, being aware of terrifying probabilities went to sleep, Oh Well, Whatever?
Your Omnipresence; I ponder your presence?
In some ways it is too bad this did not end up in criminal court. In a criminal case defense lawyers get all kinds of rights in discovery. Also anyone trying to hide evidence can be criminally prosecuted. In civil cases it is much harder to get discovery from government entities in Texas. The local jurisdiction should be the one bearing the liability. In Texas governments have sovereign immunity from being sued in court. It sounds like the local police may have directed the truck across the tracks. Mr Guse how many trucks now have train horns? From my experience a lot. Any good chrome shop has then for sale.
An Act of Parliment should be made to build overpasses or underpasses in all case where railroads and roads intersect. This would prevent unfortunate accidents… But that was England 1800s and here in the States we built cheap level-crossings and have been reaping the hazards ever since. I have hit 4 cars so far to date while running a train
It appears the NTSB got this one right. Let the ambulance chasing lawyers loose. But before you do that, let the states pass laws establishing ambulance chasing lawyer hunting seasons. No matter how much logic is used, these scum of the earth animals are immediately there to tell the families everything they want to hear. Never mind most of it is a stack of lies.
As for the trucking company, how is the company’s management able to micromanage the driver? The driver made the decision to cross, not the company.
OK. UP’s crossing gate is 4 seconds off. So what? UP could construct concrete walls 20 feet high on both sides of the track and the idiots would still find a way to get run over. As soon as somebody builds a better mousetrap, a better mouse comes along.
Sounds like Midland’s local government and parade organizers need to be held to account. They put themselves in a position of authority. Why was it so difficult for them to make a phone call to UP? Last time I checked, contrary to what big city dwellers from places like New York and Chicago believe, you don’t have to climb a pole first.
Now there is a real problem with train type air horns on vehicles that don’t run on rails. Many localities ban those things and for good reason. This incident is one of those reasons. But for some people, misuse of safety equipment is not a problem. That is, until somebody gets killed. Then, blame somebody else, like the railroad.
It doesn’t matter if the railroad did everything right, they’ll still pay out because they have the biggest pockets.
“No matter what you try, YOU CAN’T FIX STUPID!! Stupid is forever!!” - Ron White
People who run through Railroad Crossing gates prove that day after day after day. The town didn’t notify the railroad, whose crossing gate timing WAS in compliance with Federal Regs, and the town had established that crossing as “Quiet”, and now it’s another trucker’s fault because HE had an extra-loud air horn on his rig!!
Nothing seems to be anybody’s fault these days.
I don’t know why people think it’s the trains fault when a train hits a vehicle or person.
In Shakespeare’s play Henry the sixth, his character dick the butcher says quote " let’s kill all the lawyers."
Well said guse. Your spot on with your take on this tragic accident. Im a UP employee with almost 10 years of service. Any time a car or truck" RUNS" the gates my heart drops in my shoes. Knock on wood havent hit anyone yet. Hope they get this one right.
The report pretty much vindicates UP, but that won’t stop the greedy lawyers.
Without reading all of the comments before mine, I’d like to point out that Texas 349 is a four lane highway that goes “underneath” the UPRR (former Texas & Pacific Rwy) mainline.
If the parade organizers had any common sense, they would have driven under the mainline, but that would have taken them away from the desired parade route???
Robert Casares
former Midland citizen 1997-1998.
I believe the Yuppies/NIMBYs, who enacted the “Quiet Zone” in Midland, are 100% responsible for the tragedy. My little city conducted a survey. A “Quiet Zone” was defeated 41 to 12 by those who gave a “rat’s a…”, for our 50-trains-per-day in Shelby.
I agree with Guse. Miracles do indeed happen.
Well put, Mr. Guse!