Camper vs Train

[The Old Fogies]

The camper was from Fla. They tried to go around the barrcade arms.

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/sto...0b16c89a44%2C0

[CamillaMichael]

Hope they get to where it is they were in such a hurry to get to...

[The Old Fogies]

The wife died and not sure it the man made it.

[HamRad]

So sad to see this type thing. Probably on their way to visit the grandkids for Thanksgiving. Appears the train hit the very front of their camper. Drive carefully out there folks.

HamRad

[sfish]

Sad.Why do people need to be in such a hurry?

[Bill-N-Donna]

I would like to hear both sides of the story! The article stated that the driver ran through the cross arms at the crossing. I wonder if he was trying to simply beat the train or if there was possibly a problem and maybe he knew he couldn’t get it stopped in time causing him to make such a bad decision. It would appear also that he wasn’t familiar with the area.

[Slufoot733]

As a railroad police officer for over 33 years I saw more than my share of this type of incident. It seems that there is no rhyme or reason to these incidents, just tragedy. The ultimate lesson here is "right or wrong, YOU WILL LOOSE" at the crossing. Please be careful out there. Trains run on any track, in any direction, at any time.

[Champ_49]

As Slufoot says its a lot more common than people think. After 42 yrs of working on the RR as a conductor you can't imagine the amount of people I seen daily going around the gates. In the 175 miles I rode daily between Battle Creek MI. and Chicago IL. I seen it at least 25 times a day people going around them gates. Now it is a tragedy to say the least, but just imagine how the employees on that train feel when they hit a car at 60 miles per hr. These are trains, we can NOT stop on a dime. We do everything we can to stop but hauling sometimes up to 18,000 tons, well you get the picture. Its a very hard thing to deal with and you feel as helpless as can be. Not to mention that the conductor has to go back there and see the carnage that just happened.

If you come to a RR crossing I am asking you to not only not go around the gates but if you have the opportunity to stop back away from the tracks 8 to 10 car lengths would be good also. These trains have been known to leave the tracks and the further you are away from it the safer you are.

Sorry for the length of this, its just that this is one thing I am very passionate about, and the word needs to be spread as much as possible.

Thank you for your time.

Dave

[TAKPAK]

I am the area coordinator for Operation Lifesaver in Portland Oregon. Operation Lifesaver is a national program started many years ago to promote safety around railroad crossings for this very reason. We try to teach people that any time you attempt to "beat the train" or "play chicken" or a host of other things, you WILL lose. The average freight train that is about a mile long, travelling at 60 MPH, if it goes into emergency (locked brakes) will still slide for over a mile before stopping. By the time we see you on the tracks, it is already too late. Lately, trespassing has also become a big issue. It is ILLEGAL to walk, cross, or in any way be on RR tracks EXCEPT at a designated crossing. PLEASE, as the Operation Lifesaver motto reads, LOOK, LISTEN, LIVE.
This incident is a great tragedy, both for the people involved, and for the train crew.

For more information, visit www.oli.org

[08UltraRider]

I am presently working as a Locomotive Engineer who has been involved with 2 fatal incidents. One with a trespasser and another with a vehicle at a crossing. It's the most helpless feeling in the world as things go into slow motion knowing what the outcome is going to be. I had to go back in one because the Conductor was too shaken up to do it... It was the worst walk of my life at 04:00 in the morning darkness...

The close calls are endless and senseless... Just yesterday I had a close call with a fuel truck and the driver had the audacity to wave as my headlight and ditch lights lit up his face. Fortunately for him we were only going 15 mph but we were able to get his licence # etc and report it.

The weight ratio between my train (20,000 tons) and your car (2 tons) is about the same as your car is to a soda can.... You're going to lose every time. Is it not worth 2 minutes of your time to stop and wait?

As TAKPAK mentioned... Trespassers are a big issue... We see it all the time with kids showing off playing chicken. I've rounded a curve at 50 mph to find kids on a bridge running for their lives (Just like the movie Stand By Me) just making it off in time. I saw the terror in their faces as the locomotives went by them...

I'm sorry for posting this in a forum that's supposed to be a happy place but when I hear about these senseless tragedies I can't help but to get emotionally involved.

Thank you

Tim

[Champ_49]

Old Fogies

Thanks for posting. and I think you just may of hit a nerve here. And it was a good thing.

Thanks again
Dave

[DonandBonnie]

Yes, a nerve has been hit. As a railroad supervisor I had to investigate more crashes than I care to recall. My first task upon arriving on the scene was to check on the train crew. They are often the victims that never get reported. The crew can do nothing but apply the brakes and watch the events play out. It is a most helpless feeling and the mental trauma is real.

[junglejim]

I may be a little out of line but I have to agree with the ones on here talking about how hard it is on the engineers. Four years ago my wifes 11 year old nephew rode his bike around the gates after a train passed, not realizing a train was coming the other way on the second set of tracks. Needless to say he was killed. The conductor(engineer-don't know which one it was) came to the funeral. He took it so hard he couldn't handle it and QUIT his job! He said just what you folks are saying about everything happening in slow motion and knowing the ultimate outcome. PLEASE be careful. It just ain't worth it!

[Champ_49]

As junglejim says...this is the most common mistake made at crossings. Waiting for one train to go by and people get impatient and not realize that another train is on the other track. I have been involved with this a few times myself. Just be patient all, as it will save your life.