Passenger Trains > Amtrak delay notice: So sanitized, it's sterile.

Temporary hold: As of 7:53 PM CT Train 392 [the northbound Illini] remains stopped while local municipal officials have placed a hold on all tracks as they work in the immediate area.  An extended delay is anticipated.    

And here's what really happened: 

At least 1 dead after train hits car 

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) — At least one person is dead after a train hit a car in Champaign County Sunday night. It happened around 7:30 p.m. on Leverett Road in Somer Township.  Champaign County Police say a car tried going around the crossing gates and was hit by an Amtrak train. The vehicle caught fire, and at least one person inside is dead.  Police ask people to avoid the area while they investigate the crash. 

https://www.wandtv.com/news/illinois/at-least-1-dead-after-train-hits-car/article_158055a5-bdc7-4f63-aefb-9f0022486d70.html



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/25 01:22 by GenePoon.

That's quite a good media report.  It does not overdramatize and does not say, "Amtrak train kills one."

Every wonder why there are so many instances of "disabled vehicles" on major bridges in your morning traffic report? That's the euphemism for someone stopped and jumped off. 

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Temporary hold: As of 7:53 PM CT Train 392
> Illini] remains stopped while local municipal
> officials have placed a hold on all tracks as they
> work in the immediate area.  An extended delay is
> anticipated.    
>
> And here's what really happened: 
>
> At least 1 dead after train hits car 
>
> CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) — At least one
> person is dead after a train hit a car in
> Champaign County Sunday night. It happened around
> 7:30 p.m. on Leverett Road in Somer
> Township.  Champaign County Police say a car
> tried going around the crossing gates and was hit
> by an Amtrak train. The vehicle caught fire, and
> at least one person inside is dead.  Police ask
> people to avoid the area while they investigate
> the crash. 
>
> https://www.wandtv.com/news/illinois/at-least-1-de
> ad-after-train-hits-car/article_158055a5-bdc7-4f63
> -aefb-9f0022486d70.html

Gene...I'm surprised at your surprise!  Sterility has become the hallmark of Amtrak...from the completely unstylish locomotive designs that look like a 1950s Japanese toy to the unadorned, completely squarish passenger cars, with any personality that might have existed in them wrenched out by the theme of "ugly-is-cheap."  Our lives have been bombarded by the "square-box" school of design far too long, and is long overdue for a change.  I would not look to Amtrak to lead the charge...

NJT normally calls it trespasser incident, I forgot what they call it with a grade crossing collision with a road vehicle. But I am sure those phrases are lawyered and should be used by Amtrak, instead of hiding the truth, like they have a guilty conscience.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/25 16:27 by joemvcnj.