Passenger Trains > Crescent 19(27) vs. FedEx in West Georgia, fatality

1 dead after Amtrak train, FedEx truck crash in west Georgia, authorities say

It happened on the Highway 78 crossing. 

Author: Jason Braverman (WXIA)
November 28, 2022

HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. (WXIA) — An Amtrak train [Crescent 19(27)] crashed into a FedEx box truck Monday morning in Haralson County, killing the driver of the truck, authorities said. Amtrak said it was traveling from New York to New Orleans around 11 a.m. when a "vehicle that was obstructing the track came into contact with the train."  The rail line said 55 people plus crew members were on board and no one was injured.  WXIA SkyTracker showed packages and other debris along the tracks. The Amtrak train did not derail.

Georgia State Patrol said the truck was traveling south on J David Road approaching a stop sign for the railroad tracks. A witness told them that the box truck "failed to stop at the stop sign and traveled onto the railroad tracks into the path of the train.

"The train struck the vehicle's driver's side and the train pushed it about 1/2 mile before coming to a stop. The name of the truck driver has not been released. 

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/train-crash-haralson-county/85-993eb207-6407-4ba4-b6dd-3b9f7755e85a



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/22 11:33 by GenePoon.

---

Amtrak said, "...vehicle...came into contact with the train."  Typical Am-Speak. "...came into contact?"
Whenever there is derailment, an Amtrak train never "derails" -  it  "lost contact with the rails."  Am-Speak.
Thanks for posting this, GenePoon.
 

About 2 miles east of the GA-AL border. This section of the line has frequent curves and I doubt the train was going faster than 40, if that. Crossing is unsignaled; only a house and farm are on the far side of the track. 

CPMorris Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak said, "...vehicle...came into contact with
> the train."  Typical Am-Speak. "...came into
> contact?"
> Whenever there is derailment, an Amtrak train
> never "derails" -  it  "lost contact with the
> rails."  Am-Speak.
> Thanks for posting this, GenePoon.
>  
I beg to differ. I'm tired of news reports that state a train hit a vehicle. As if the train was roaming around looking for aomething to hit. The term a vehicle came in contact with a train  (ok maybe we can shorten that to hit) is a better description. BTW I've never seen a railroad use the expression "Lost contact with rails"

WP17

WP17 Wrote: 
> I beg to differ. I'm tired of news reports that
> state a train hit a vehicle. As if the train was
> roaming around looking for something to hit. The
> term a vehicle came in contact with a train  (ok
> maybe we can shorten that to hit) is a better
> description. BTW I've never seen a railroad use
> the expression "Lost contact with rails"
>
> WP17

I totally agree with you; however, you have to remember that most of these reporters today are virtually unfamiliar with how a train operates.  This is because most of these folks have never actually ridden on a main-line passenger train and they do not understand the technology of a railroad.  I have met some people who have actually asked me as to why is it that these trains cannot put on their breaks in time to avoid these types of collisions.  Trust me, they haven't a clue.  It's a very sad world for all of us.  And I'm sorry that the truck driver was killed; however, all of these commercial drivers should be educated about grade crossing safety prior to them obtaining a commercial drivers license.  We can add to this that all people who want to drive should be well educated about railroad crossings.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Train made contact with the vehicle would be more accurate.

WP17 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CPMorris Wrote:
> ----------------------------------------------
> I beg to differ. I'm tired of news reports that
> state a train hit a vehicle. As if the train was
> roaming around looking for aomething to hit. The
> term a vehicle came in contact with a train  (ok
> maybe we can shorten that to hit) is a better
> description. BTW I've never seen a railroad use
> the expression "Lost contact with rails"
Yes, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari in Chicago
has previously used "lost contact with the rails."
....or maybe it was Debbie Marciniak....maybe both!



 

Condolences to the family of the FedEx driver.  Some of these folks are under a lot of pressure to deliver on time.

Most of the time the cargo is bulldozed into a pile, junked and FedEx insurance compensates to the value declared by the customer (which, if more than the basic entry level amount, will incur an added charge).  If that does not cover the loss, too bad.  If the FedEx package contained irreplaceable documents, too bad. 

INSURANCE is optional and can be arranged through an insurance agent outside FedEx.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Condolences to the family of the FedEx driver. 
> Some of these folks are under a lot of pressure to
> deliver on time.

Yes they are.

The truck appears to have been a FedEx Ground truck, which are generally operated by contractors to FedEx.

You are correct about the pressure to deliver, most of the 3 big parcel delivery service trucks in our rural area drive too fast for the unpaved road conditions.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1 dead after Amtrak train, FedEx truck crash in
> west Georgia, authorities say
>
> It happened on the Highway 78 crossing. 
>
> Author: Jason Braverman (WXIA)
> November 28, 2022
>
> HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. (WXIA) — An Amtrak train
> crashed into a FedEx box truck Monday morning in
> Haralson County, killing the driver of the truck,
> authorities said. Amtrak said it was traveling
> from New York to New Orleans around 11 a.m. when a
> "vehicle that was obstructing the track came into
> contact with the train."  The rail line said 55
> people plus crew members were on board and no one
> was injured.  WXIA SkyTracker showed packages
> and other debris along the tracks. The Amtrak
> train did not derail.
>
> Georgia State Patrol said the truck was traveling
> south on J David Road approaching a stop sign for
> the railroad tracks. A witness told them that the
> box truck "failed to stop at the stop sign and
> traveled onto the railroad tracks into the path of
> the train.
>
> "The train struck the vehicle's driver's side and
> the train pushed it about 1/2 mile before coming
> to a stop. The name of the truck driver has not
> been released. 
>
> https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/train-c
> rash-haralson-county/85-993eb207-6407-4ba4-b6dd-3b
> 9f7755e85a

Engines 132+4

Posted from iPhone

Is a 55 passenger count good for the Atlanta - Birmingham segment of the route?

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is a 55 passenger count good for the Atlanta -
> Birmingham segment of the route?
>
> Posted from Android

19/20’s consist contain three coaches. Most of the year the one behind the locos is locked out. 55 people in two coaches is a little thin in the holiday season.

Posted from iPhone

"lost contact with the rails" - that line came up a few years back and got a lot of criticism. 

It's not just delivery truck drivers under time pressures who fail to stop for stop signs at railroad crossings. Pretty much everyone ignores them. This, unfortunately, is sometimes the outcome.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most of the time the cargo is bulldozed into a
> pile, junked and FedEx insurance compensates to
> the value declared by the customer (which, if more
> than the basic entry level amount, will incur an
> added charge).  If that does not cover the loss,
> too bad.  If the FedEx package contained
> irreplaceable documents, too bad. 
>  
> INSURANCE is optional and can be arranged through
> an insurance agent outside FedEx.

FedEx Ground transports  "Limited Quantity Shipments" (formerly ORM-D) which include small arms ammuniton, aerosol cans with
various chemicals, limited amounts of paints, etc. so I wonder if in fact everything is collected and deposited at a local landfill.

Should be easy to identify boxes with the diamond-shaped Limited Quantity Mark, denoting the various regulated items, or what's left
of the them, and then dispose of the remnants in a safe and "green" manner...