Tonight’s central Illinois 10pm news, WICS ABC Channel 20 in Springfield, had a segment about people trying to beat the train at crossings. They interviewed a conductor named Cathy Guy inside the engine, a cream and green SD70MAC BNSF 9675 leading a manifest through UP territory. She says she’s a third generation engineer and lucky that none of the people hit by engines she was on were killed. The newscaster claims that Illinois has the 2nd highest crossing fatalities in the nation. Illinois has a $250 fine for people who are caught trying to pass a train at a crossing.
I saw the same news article in Champaign’s ABC affiliate. No surprise. People always risk their lives to save a few minutes.
Incidently, a 16 year old was killed north of Watseka, IL yesterday. He approached the double tracked UP/CSX (ex CEI) crossing which was marked only with crossbucks, just as a southbound was clearing the crossing. So, he proceeded. And was struck by a northbound.
Texas leads.
R U srerotyping Texans as being the sillest in the nation?
Not the silliest, but the ones that have no patience. I am proud to be a texan, and proud to live in this great state. But according to operation life saver, Texas is #1 in just about every catagory. There website is www.operationlifesaver.org if you would like to see where your state stands on the list.
No I didn’t think about it that way. Texas is BIG. Lots of opportunities to be foolish I guess.
Texas leads the nation in grade crossings, so the stat shouldn’t surprises anyone. Has nothing to do with intellect. Illinois is… No. 2.
Illinois and Texas also have a lot of trains going through those crossings – which can hit stupid people.
I’ve investigated a number of RR crossing crashes in Illinois over the years and am not at all surprised that IL has a great number of grade crossings.
But when you consider the relative sizes of Texas and Illinois, it’s amazing that they are #2.
Consider rail mileage per state too. In the nation, Texas is number 1 and Illinois is number 2. Makes sense that grade crossing accidents would be in the same order.
Number of collisions at grade crossings, 2006:
|
|
Texas |
336 |
|
|
Illinois |
174 |
|
|
California |
166 |
|
|
Louisiana |
143 |
|
|
Indiana |
136 |
|
|
Georgia |
130 |
|
|
Alabama |
124 |
|
|
Ohio |
120 |
|
|
Florida |
116 |
|
|
Mississippi |
82 |
|
|
Arkansas |
80 |
|
|
Michigan |
79 |
|
|
North Carolina |
75 |
