Passenger Trains > Amtrak 14 (5) hits big rig, Monterey County

Spence road. Hit tail end of big rig and sent it out into southbound 101.
Lead unit cab windows shattered, engineer injured. Big rig driver OK.

Posted from Android

And the Salinas Valley Demolition Derby continues...  Sadly not a rare event.

Amtrak 14(5) was reported as having the AMTK 186 and 824.

At Spence Road, the tracks parallel US 101 closely.  The crossing does not have sufficient room to fit a
tractor-trailer between the tracks and the highway.  There is no traffic signal.

Google Earth photo, looking SOUTH (the train would have been coming TOWARD you):
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/15 21:22 by GenePoon.

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824 is lead unit. OB staff tells me both front cab windows broken and further damage due to whatever was in truck. Impact was to truck trailer rear end and sent it flying out into SB 101. Freeway traffic now clear, UP managers on site as of 21:30. I believe only engineer was injured, hopefully not serious.

Posted from Android

CHP information log:
10:01 PM19[34] B27-030 #2 WAS OPENED ABOUT 45 AGO/// RDWY NOW CLEAR
9:18 PM18[32] [Notification] [CHP]-OTHER INV PARTY CALLING IN REQ 1110, RP'S VEH WAS HIT BY DEBRIS -VEH DAMAGED -SEE RP INFO FOR NAME AND ADDR
8:37 PM17[31] 1039 UPRR W/UPDATE
8:35 PM16[30] [Notification] [CHP]-Problem changed from 1179-Trfc Collision-1141 Enrt to 1181-Trfc Collision-Minor Inj by CHP
8:26 PM15[27] [Notification] [CHP]-1039 CALFORNIA TOW WILL SEND THE APPROP TK TO HELP LIFT BIG RIG TK
8:20 PM14[25] PER UNION PACIFIC WE NEED TO FOLLOW PROTOCOL/ PLACING OF FLARES ETC
8:19 PM13[24] UNK ETA ON RISK MANAGEMENT OFCR
8:19 PM12[23] UP HAS A SPECIAL AGENT ENRT / 2 HOUR EXT ETA
8:19 PM11[22] B27-030 SO FAR ONE PTY 1181 COP - ON TRAIN
8:14 PM10[20] 1039 UP CHP 1097
8:07 PM9[18] B27-030 1125 #28:05 PM8[17] 1039 UP
8:01 PM7[16] BIG RIG DRIVER NOT INJ
8:01 PM6[14] [Notification] [CHP]-AMTRAK TRAIN NO INJ SO FAR/ TRAIN ENGINEER REQ 1141 AS PRECAUTION
7:59 PM5[9] DEBRIS ALL LNS7:57 PM4[6] UNKN HOW MANY INJ IN TRAIN PER RP
7:56 PM3[4] 1039 MONT COM7:56 PM2[3] SEMI DRIV OO TK7:56 PM1[1] VEH VS TRAIN, BIG RIG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/15 22:04 by GenePoon.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak 14(5) was reported as having the AMTK 186
> and 824.
>
> At Spence Road, the tracks parallel US 101
> closely.  The crossing does not have sufficient
> room to fit a
> tractor-trailer between the tracks and the
> highway.  There is no traffic signal.
>
> Google Earth photo, looking SOUTH (the train would
> have been coming TOWARD you):

None of the above mentioned points relieves the driver of brain cells. 
>  

SP4360 Wrote:

> None of the above mentioned points relieves the
> driver of brain cells. 
================================================

Sure doesn't.  But SOMETHING did!  Or maybe he never had any...

Amtrak reports 14(5) due in San Jose at 1:26 AM (on the 6th).

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak 14(5) was reported as having the AMTK 186
> and 824.
>
> At Spence Road, the tracks parallel US 101
> closely.  The crossing does not have sufficient
> room to fit a
> tractor-trailer between the tracks and the
> highway.  There is no traffic signal.
>
> Google Earth photo, looking SOUTH (the train would
> have been coming TOWARD you):
>  

Looks like the driver would have had a clear view of a train approaching from the south. Anyone with half a brain would have made an effort to get clear of the tracks. The driver should be arrested. Hopefully the engineer isn't badly hurt.

Posted from iPhone

Here is #14 at Golita CA this afternoon shortly after leaving Santa Barbara.... Hope the Engineer is not hurt to badly.....
Sad that people get hurt when the simple rules of the road are not followed.......

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I just showed up for work in Sacramento- maki'n coffee for 527. (My LSA lot in life)
It's about 6:30am.
#11 is alongside (normal, they're on time)
Last night's #14 is still an hour or so out. (8hrs down?)
They should pass each other somewhere between Dixon and Suisun.
SR

The agent in EMY text me and says he'll send me photos later. THAT doesn't sound good...

You know, I really fault the county zoning board for allowing this business to operate at this location without making the business build an overpass or undrpass.. While it is 95% the truck driver's fault, I think the county is partly at fault too. The rush for a tax base has once again caused problems.

Theodore Picraux
St. Peters, MO
Shuttletrain's Wanderings

It is the drivers fault 100%. Either he is in charge of driving that truck properly or he is not being a responsible citizen. It is NOT the counties fault by 5% at all. Irregardless of why the driver pulled in front of the train , he is still wrong. He nor anyone else can go crying that someone else is to share the blame.

Here's the 824 last night.  (Sorry, I don't know who to credit- I got the photo 2nd or 3rd hand)  The unit was left behind near Salinas.  The engineer was injured, but I've no word on how badly.
This crew, out of Sac, having turned in SLO, is actually dog catching the crew from the day before- that crew is aboard deadheading home after having been involved in a fatality the day before.  When it rains....
SR

BTW: The crew involved in the fatality is the conductor & AC only, the engineers rotate differently.

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shuttletrain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know, I really fault the county zoning board
> for allowing this business to operate at this
> location without making the business build an
> overpass or undrpass.. While it is 95% the truck
> driver's fault, I think the county is partly at
> fault too. The rush for a tax base has once again
> caused problems.

These farms go back to the days of steam and the road was no more than a single lane crossbuck protected crossing. Obviously updated over the years. The faults lies with the driver, period.

Posted from Android

AMEN!!

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

BoilingMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's the 824 last night.  (Sorry, I don't know
> who to credit- I got the photo 2nd or 3rd hand) 
> The unit was left behind near Salinas.  The
> engineer was injured, but I've no word on how
> badly.

===========================================================

Fortunately, not seriously, at least according to the CHP dispatch log:  TRAIN ENGINEER REQ 1141 (ambulance) AS PRECAUTION

Yes, as I understand it he claimed to be fine, but had suffered a back injury in the past, so went along peacefully.
A few sources have said he did complain of neck pain, but was discounting it.
Hopefully he's basically okay.
SR

Any picture of fireman's window from the inside available?  I knew that the windshields shatter, but didn't think pieces actually come off but it did take a hell of a hit. Good reason to be wearing your safety glasses even inside a cab.

Clearly the driver is at fault for being on the tracks, but the fact that this happens so often at this particular crossing indicates to me that the design and layout at this spot makes it difficult for drivers to safely cross.

Maybe it's time to make some changes to the road or crossing at Spence Road.

Posted from iPhone