Two train vs vehicle accidents locally in less than a week at almost the same place. Last weekend, a local idiot went around the gates and got picked off by a CSX freight. His stupidity landed him and his passenger in the hospital, but they are expected to recover.
A second one Friday was a fatality. To be honest, this one could have been a tragic error on her part. A CSX freight was stopped on track 2 waiting for the Amtrak Palmetto to pass on track 1. The driver, who was on the way to her father’s funeral may have thought that the freight had caused the gates to be down. Anyway, she went around the gates and the Amtrak got her. We will never know what actually happened
A Canadian fire department lost four members under almost exactly the same circumstances as the second incident - it happened some years ago.
While it is certainly true that under no circumstances should she have passed the gates, it was no doubt a tragic error on her part, and she was likely distracted in the first place. We’ve actually discussed the two-track crossing issue here before. My thoughts go out to all involved.
Killed while going to a funeral… It doesn’t get much worse then that. Somebody should have offered to drive her. People shouldn’t have to worry about driving on days like that, and it can obviously affect how they drive.
FWIW, CSX, the Highway Patrol and the sherriff’s dept all say the gates and lights were working. Family and neighbors are already saying neither were. It should be noted that the Amtrak stopped about a quarter mile past the crossing and thus the gates would be up. As usual, the usual Boo Hoo is beginning and it will just be a matter of time now before the lawsuits start. Sad!!!