Passenger Trains > Another senseless crossing accident: A-T in South Carolina

Local news reports a GMC Sierra was struck after going around closed crossing gates in Goose Creek SC (north of Charleston).  Two children are in critical condition.  Two women and a total of five children (!) were in the vehicle.  Three people ejected.  Five reported in stable condition.  Incident occurred about 10:30 pm Saturday, January 9th.  Video from the scene shows auto carriers in the background.  I'm guessing it was northbound #52 due to time of evening.  Prayers for victims, crew, first responders and all involved.

Auto Train arrived Lorton 1 hr 13 min AHD, so it could not have been this train.

Andy

boejoe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Local news reports a GMC Sierra was struck after
> going around closed crossing gates in Goose Creek
> SC (north of Charleston).  Two children are in
> critical condition.  Two women and a total of
> five children (!) were in the vehicle.  Three
> people ejected.  Five reported in stable
> condition.  Incident occurred about 10:30 pm
> Saturday, January 9th.  Video from the scene
> shows auto carriers in the background.  I'm
> guessing it was northbound #52 due to time of
> evening.  Prayers for victims, crew, first
> responders and all involved.

The fact anyone in the car lived is a blessing. I grew up in Charleston and know Goose Creek well. Passenger trains have no issue making 79 through there, and 70 for the Auto Train.

Posted from Android

53.

Prayers for everyone involved.

Stupid, putting kids at risk.

Posted from Android

And the fact that three were ejected shows that seat belts weren't being used either.

I read some "eyewitness" posts on FB, saying the car didn't go around the gates, but that it was too far onto the crossig when the gates came down on top of the vehicle, and presumably panic ensued. Driver is still in the wrong, but it's not as egregious as the paper makes it sound (i.e. going around gates assuming to beat the train)...

I see this EVERY day on the way to work, where traffic backs up and cars still stop on the tracks. On a few occasions since I've lived here, NS has picked off an 18 wheeler at Ashley Phosphate crossing. But it's SC where people have no clue how to drive (stopping at red lights appears to be optional).

Ray, as an SC-trained driver, I can tell you nothing exceeded what I saw on trips to Waycross back in the day. I hope the locals still don't do this, but along the Savannah line, if you left a gap and didn't foul the main, someone behind you would come around and "fill the gap." Never seen it done anywhere else, but there are "stunt drivers" in every state. Some just worse than others.

And may I just say, we didn't have a problem with red light runners until Charleston became the new Florida. The phase of my driving where I learned to look for the person running the stoplight was during an internship in New York. It was an absolute given someone was coming through a red board. If they were polite, they'd lay on the horn to let you know... ;-p

Mike

Posted from Android

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ray, as an SC-trained driver, I can tell you
> nothing exceeded what I saw on trips to Waycross
> back in the day. I hope the locals still don't do
> this, but along the Savannah line, if you left a
> gap and didn't foul the main, someone behind you
> would come around and "fill the gap." Never seen
> it done anywhere else, but there are "stunt
> drivers" in every state. Some just worse than
> others.
>
> And may I just say, we didn't have a problem with
> red light runners until Charleston became the new
> Florida. The phase of my driving where I learned
> to look for the person running the stoplight was
> during an internship in New York. It was an
> absolute given someone was coming through a red
> board. If they were polite, they'd lay on the horn
> to let you know... ;-p
>
> Mike
>
> Posted from Android

Mike, I try never to be first off the line when the light changes green here. Personally seen too many close calls, or come upon the aftermath of many t-bones. It's gotten a lot worse here.
Hope you're doing well.
 

This is one of the reasons why public transit is usually such a "hard sell" in the US--most state Departments of Motor Vehicles will give a driver's license to anyone who can see well enough to get to the front door.  And dangerous drivers are usually given the proverbial "slap on the wrist" when they do get caught.  The motor vehicle manufacturers and oil companies like this situation: more drivers = more profits, plus the money they make on the side selling "crash parts".