Passenger Trains > 3 killed trying to beat Amtrak on MICH line today

Oshtemo Twp, which is west of Kalamazoo, 110mph territory. Got a text from my brother in W Michigan a few min. ago, must've been on the news there. Checking into it. Said they went around the gates..

chico

more at mlive.com

<http://www.mlive.com/kalamazoo/#/0&gt;

Amtrak #352 is estimated into Kalamazoo three hours late. It was probably involved.

And a memo to "mlive" - if someone deliberately drives around the gates, the consequences are not an 'accident'.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/14 16:23 by toledopatch.

was just a matter of time ... should be quad gates or crossing elimination

Posted from Android

Kick em, 110 mph taught them a lesson.

Posted from Android

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> was just a matter of time ... should be quad gates
> or crossing elimination
>
> Posted from Android


Why not just stop for the gates? That would be the fix as here it just fixed stupid. You cannot do everything that will prevent everything. Humans need to do there job when driving or walking.

How about using the Milwaukee Road's tactic:

Post signs at crossings that say:

TRAINS PASS AT 100MPH

BSB

I hope the engineer is able to get over this trauma. That has to be a wrenching experience.

and condolences to the family of the dead folks

BigSkyBlue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How about using the Milwaukee Road's tactic:
>
> Post signs at crossings that say:
>
> TRAINS PASS AT 100MPH
>
> BSB

You forgot the rest of the sign.
WEATHER YOU'RE ON THE TRACKS OR NOT!

mlive updated.

<http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/11/3_people_killed_in_train-suv_c.html#incart_river&gt;

the van that ran past the gates passed cars that were already stopped there before entering the kill zone. as it was hit, the van broke into three pieces, the compartment where the 3 that died, apparently teens, was stuck to the nose of the engine and still is. Mi. State Police still trying to extricate bodies as of this post.

chico



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/14 19:00 by chico.

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> was just a matter of time ... should be quad gates
> or crossing elimination
>
> Posted from Android

No they don't need any more gates, because you just can't protect and idiot from himself! Especially when they drove around other cars that were already stopped! I feel sorry for the two passengers in the car and the poor engineer who could only sit there and watch but not for the Darwin award winner that was driving.

Andre

BigSkyBlue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How about using the Milwaukee Road's tactic:
>
> Post signs at crossings that say:
>
> TRAINS PASS AT 100MPH
>
> BSB


I remember those signs, and near here (SE Minnesota)
on the River Sub. the signs read: " Caution -
High Speed Trains ". One was placed at a crossing
near my home after the "Afternoon Hiawatha" struck
and killed a family of five .... they drove in front
of the train, too. No gates back then.

BAB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Out_Of_Service Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > was just a matter of time ... should be quad
> gates
> > or crossing elimination
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
>
> Why not just stop for the gates? That would be the
> fix as here it just fixed stupid. You cannot do
> everything that will prevent everything. Humans
> need to do there job when driving or walking.

Andre Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Out_Of_Service Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > was just a matter of time ... should be quad
> gates
> > or crossing elimination
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> No they don't need any more gates, because you
> just can't protect and idiot from himself!
> Especially when they drove around other cars that
> were already stopped! I feel sorry for the two
> passengers in the car and the poor engineer who
> could only sit there and watch but not for the
> Darwin award winner that was driving.
>
> Andre

you guys got it all wrong ... it's not about protecting the idiots from the train it's about protecting the train and it's occupants from the idiots ... a derailing train at that speed wouldn't just come to a halt in the upright position ... remember the Colonial Ricky Gates disaster and that result of a high speed collision and derailment ... remember the Italian high speed derailment and it's tragic results ... all it takes it something to lift the lead unit and it's all over ... they're playing with fire leaving anything to chance thinking everyone is going to do the right thing and follow the rules ... like you guys called it ... the driver was an idiot and the railroad needs to protect it's assets and passengers every way they can from these kind of no brain idiots



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/14 19:51 by Out_Of_Service.

My heart goes out to the head end crew. Just a few days before Thanksgiving in the early 70's my dad was the engineer on #356, and on a private crossing only a few miles from this location, watched with the same sense of helplessness all engineers feel as a van drove in front of his train, which was running at the legal max (for that time) of 60mph. He said he and his fireman could see the van through the leafless trees and knew in their hearts it wasn't going to stop, so Dad big holed it. I'll never forget the anguish in his face when he recounted the experience to our family after bringing the train the remainder of the way into Jackson, which was the crew change point then. He said the last thing they saw was the horror in the faces of two little kids, pressed against the windows of the van as it disappeared in front of them. Prayers to the crew.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/14 20:08 by ATSF5669.

Pictures show that a sign was posted High Speed Trains.

Interesting that this crossing still had the old "Stop On Red Signal" signs.

1 grade crossing for every mile of track in the USA. Eliminate one at a time asa fast as possible. In my mom's home town 3 in 1 mile.

So, do they not have quad gates installed there? Quads have been installed here through parts of Orange County on the old Santa Fe Surfline which is 90, granted, it is now a quiet zone, too.

Sorry to here about this, especially for the passengers in the car that might have not had a say in events.

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

Close crossings and build bridges, with what funds? And there we go with the war on cars hindering American freedom. With the drive to cut taxes to prosperity and the nutless lemmings solely concerned with their re-erection inhabiting state legislatures, don't wait up for any of that. OK, tongue (only slightly) in cheek rant over.

What should be required on high(er) speed lines is not quad gates, but total barrier gates same as used in the UK. That is, if they even have a crossing, very rare compated to here. They shut solid two minutes before a train shows, not this just-in-time 20-25 second crap. Oh but that would impede drivers freedom and bring America to its knees with the loss of productivity. Grrrrr ......

I agree this is totally the drivers fault. That said, in the U.K. and most of Europe, gates come down much earlier than here. Often before the train is even in site. And they completely close off the crossing. If that were done here, this wouldn't have happened unless this idiot tried to bust through.