Nostalgia & History > Remembering The Deadliest Grade Crossing Collision

As an auto rack train rolls south yesterday, the Braceros Memorial casts a shadow over the spot where 32 migrant farm workers died in a collision with a Southern Pacific sugar beet train in 1963.  

The workers were riding in a makeshift farm bus when the driver attempted to cross the tracks at Broome Road south of Chualar, as the westward train approached in the late afternoon. 

The collision is the single deadliest railroad grade crossing accident in U.S. history. The unprotected crossing has since been removed.

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A very sobering picture indeed!  RIP to the 32 Braceros involved on that fateful day.  I remember reading about that accident.  This thread brings back a memory I have about a train/auto collision in Gonzales, CA on the SP Coast Line back around '07.  As I remember, either 2 or 3 were killed in the collision.  My youngest son and I were on our way to the Loop.  I remember seeing the accident site.  The people were covered when we went by.  It was very bad.  Another sad testimony to the fact that the train wins every time.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Thats quite a tragic event.  My wife at the time was riding Amtrak from Indianapolis to Chicago back in the early 1990's.  While traveling at about 55 mph in a rural area, she felt a bump and saw some dust/debri go by and the train quickly stopped.  The train remained there for two hours while authorities worked at the scene.  As it turned out, a car load of teenagers was apparently was hit by the train at-speed; apparently the driver was playing chicken on the grade crossing and didn't get off in time.  As I recall, at least 3 were  killed.  Many modern grade crossing accidents seem to be preventable but as some photographic studies have shown, many try to beat trains across the tracks, and occasionally it doesn't go well.

Jim Fitch

I'm not trying to minimize the loss of lives in this accident, or any accident anywhere regardless of fault, but what is it with people creating monuments at the location where an accident happened? Does it do anything to bring those family members back? Yes, I realize this is a way to "remember" those who were lost, almost always through their own actions, but these people can do the same thing at their respective homes just as well.

​Here's the problem I have with this. While the families might want to remember their loss I doubt the other innocent people involved, the operating crews, want to be reminded of the accident every time they go by the location. And a lot of these monuments are erected and then ignored by the family involved anyway so why bother - what respect does that show?

This actually hits a little closer to home for me (not directly because I'm "cold" - I haven't lost a second of sleep over any of the many accidents I've been involved in), as my son was almost involved in a "suicide by car" near our house. When he was around 19 he was going to work very early on morning, it was still dark, and a screwed up kid decided to commit suicide by jumping in front of a car on Northwest Expressway here. Fortunately my son managed to avoid the kid but the car behind him didn't. The family erected a monument, which admittedly is still maintained today, but while it doesn't bother my son I often wonder about that other driver - does he want to be reminded of the incident even though he was innocent? I know it reminds me of what almost happened to my son while he was simply minding his own business.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/30/17 06:27 by Railbaron.

Speaking as a loco engineer who has been involved in several fatalities, I've never once considered such memorials to be disrespectful to me. In fact, I had never even considered the idea until now. Frankly, the way I see it, the need for loved ones to remember and grieve far outweighs my own lingering discomforts over such incidents.

EO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/17 05:57 by hogheaded.

Outside the US (and in some rural areas inside) a memorial cross at the site of auto fatalities is considered a sign of mourning and respect.  Mexico is chock full of them.   I would see this in precisely that light.  Yes, this isn't a proper stone memorial, but it is a culturally appropriate commemoration.

I am ambevilent about these Memorials......but one thing is for sure, someone died at that spot, and those who pass by are reminded of that fact.  Many of these Memorials are placed in "places of danger", railroad crossings are a prime example, as are blind or otherwise dangerous curves, etc. 
     Given the state of driviing today, I think these reminders can be useful to those still alive.
AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

agentatascadero Wrote:
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>      Given the state of driviing today, I
> think these reminders can be useful to those still
> alive.

The state of Montana used to put a white cross at the site of each fatal auto accident. At Browning on US 2, there were too many to count given the speed and curvature (both of which contributed to the number of white crosses). I understand that they quit the practice as it did nothing to reduce the number of accidents (US 2 at Browning being an example).

TAW

I'm fascinated by the white crosses in Montana, because each one has its own unique story.

There is one spot east of Browning where I found four crosses at the railroad crossing. I was set up there to do a night shot when an old farm guy came by his truck. On the off chance he might know the story, I asked him, and he sure did know. 

That story (and what is one of my favorite pictures) can be found here: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3838706,3838985#msg-3838985

As for the Braceros Memorial, I am kind of surprised there isn't more of a permanent marker. Although it seems somehow fitting that the cross there is made from waxed-cardboard produce shipping boxes.

That stretch of highway 101 was renamed about 4-years-ago as the "Braceros Memorial Highway" in memory of the crash victims. There's a bit of a gravel pullout along the highway opposite of the memorial, although it's more accessible from the frontage road that connects Chualar and Gonzalez. But it is legal to stop along the highway there as it's not a freeway.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/30/17 14:06 by walstib.

> The state of Montana used to put a white cross at the site of each fatal auto accident.
. . . . . .
> I understand that they quit the practice as it did nothing to reduce the number of accidents

Montana still has the program, which has been ongoing for well over 60 years. The crosses are put up voluntarily by the American Legion on all public highways except interstates. The state Department of Transportation and the Highway Patrol respect them and believe that the effort to reduce highway fatalities is worthwhile, even if it only saves a few lives. Montanans who grew up here recognize that areas with a number of crosses may require extra attentiveness while driving. There are times I think back and feel lucky one of them wasn't my own.

steeplecab