Western Railroad Discussion > Another Damaged(!) Crossing Gate

Seeing the "caption this" crossing gate photo led me to post this (date 12/4/04).

This is along Alameda St. in Wilmington, near the "back way" to Watson.

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Ouch, looks like one of those container trucks took that one out. $10 says he saw it, knew what happened, and kept on going. Probably took a chunk out of the container too.


Robby F. (Mr. MRL)

I once heard a description of what it takes to qualify as a container hauler driver. I heard this on the cb radio, and it was a dialogue between two big truck drivers.
"When they test someone who wants to hire out as a container hauler, or to go to work for XXX Grocery Supply Company, they just shove a thermometer up the applicant's butt for a minute, if it rises in temperature just a little bit, they pull the thermometer out, and say "you're qualified! You're hired!
After seeing some of these worms in action, I've always wondered if there wasn't just a little truth in this joke.

Con Sweet, ex big truck driver, but not of the container hauling variety

Okay,
the two captions that come to mind for this one:

"Practice makes perfect!"

"Collect the whole set!!"

I have been driving trucks for 12 years and when I first started driving the instructor said don't look back if you are going to hit it you will hit it, I laughed then but maybe he was telling the truth. Ashamed to be called a driver with this happening

That shopping cart must've been going mighty fast to knock the whole thing over. Obviously, the bag lady is long gone from the scene. Sterno may have been a factor.

You guys have it all wrong! The shopping cart was trying to commit suicide, as all shopping carts do after spending their lifetime being pushed up and down the aisles. It's inherant that all shopping carts migrate to the rails to get to the big supermarket in the sky. You see them day in and day out, hiding in the bushes along the r.o.w., just waiting for an unsuspecting train to come along. It's a shame that in todays society, that there'e no place to go for these poor down trodden carts.
The one in the picture at Watson road was especially pitiful as it missed the track and took out the crossing gates. It sat there for several days suffering a slow painful death, as opposed to being struck by a train which is fast and reletively painless.I went through there shortly after it happened on the way to the Wilmington Wye and it was not a pretty sight. -BMT

I'd say the cart did better than the crossing gate.

Holland: You beat me to it! (only by a few minutes) I was going to say: Ok, who took it home, and who helped (not a 'one-man' job.) and lastly, it had to be a good-sized truck!

Oh, well, sometimes I'm just a little bit slow. (Still on the road to recovery!)

Some days, over the last 9 months, I have felt just like the cart / gate combo! (and looked like them, too.)

Take Care, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Larry