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View Full Version : BAD bad day today......



boatsnblondes
05-08-2007, 09:18 PM
About 2:00 this afternoon, Amtrak 713 hit a small SUV in Riverbank today...inside the vehicle, one adult, two teens, three baby's...no one made it...everyone is shocked....reports ar from one end to the other...but it looks like she had the gate go down on her windshield, then panicked and bolted...train hit them at 79mph...
Boat cop is on you guys for being safe at the river, I'm on ya for being safe around the crossings...so, how to avoid this??
NEVER stop on the tracks...always WAIT until you can safley cross before you proceed...there is a limit line before the crossing, use it. When the guy ahead of you goes, and you can get accross the tracks WITHOUT fouling them, then go.
If you should find yourself in the same situation, i.e. half in, half out..first try to back up, can't do it? Don't panic, look at the tracks...see the tracks?? If the front of your car is 3-4 feet clear of the rail closest to you, you'll make it.... Too close, get out, LEAVE the vehicle...we can replace the car, we can not replace you....
One last thing...NEVER EVER look into the headlights of an oncoming train for too long, they will make you lose all depth of field,.....kinda like hypnosis...
All of you, be safe....trains going down through the olive district on the way to Angels stadium, do 79 in some places, as do trains running down Orangethorpe....Amtrak hauls ass heading down through Lake Forest, MV, on down to San Clemente, and then head for 90 down by Pendleton....
My speech for the night..my thoughts and prayers go out to the family for this horrinle loss....

IN2-IN2MX
05-08-2007, 09:20 PM
That is so sad. :jawdrop:

MRS FLYIN VEE
05-08-2007, 09:24 PM
:( :( Thoughts and prayers to the families and to those lost. :( :(
thank you for the advise. Hope all take it and remember it.

ratso
05-08-2007, 09:24 PM
Sad...:( Still, I will never understand how you get hit by a train...:jawdrop: You look... you cross... If you see a train, stay put because chances are you're gonna lose. http://***boat.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

EAZYKILLER2006
05-08-2007, 09:24 PM
this is just terrible news!:(
our thoughts and prayers to all the families involved:(

C-2
05-08-2007, 09:25 PM
Just read about it, and it's heartbreaking. I can't imagine.:(

superdave013
05-08-2007, 09:38 PM
BnB, Man O man did I get soooooo lucky not long ago. Trust me I did learn the lesson.
I ride my bike to work alot. Once I was at the crossing on Broadway in Anaheim. crossing arms were down and I waited for the Metrolink to pass. It did and I went around the arm and trucked across the tracks. I didn't get clear by more then 10' when I hear something. Yup, the Amtrak train was going the other direction and almost took me out. I never even knew it was there until I was already across. I get the same chills just thinking about it.
Then just today I'm sitting at the same crossing. Some maintaince thing was on the tracks. I was looking both ways after it went by. Nothing in sight but I still waited. lol
Hey, you ever go down the tracks on Santa Ana street in Anaheim? What a trip those tracks run right down the middle of the street. You drive right next to the trains. They go very slow through there. I live 4 houses away from that track and a train is going by now. F'ers make my windows rattle.

MRS FLYIN VEE
05-08-2007, 09:44 PM
you must have 8 lives left.. very lucky :)

boatsnblondes
05-08-2007, 10:00 PM
IF the gates are down, they are down for a REASON...never go round the gates, wait for them to go up...or make a u-turn find another way...the gates are activated by a detection circuit...only way way for them to go down is if soemthing is FOULING the circuit..i.e., no way to fool them..if they are down, something is there..most of these circuits are a quarter mile away...so odds are you won't see it.
One last thing. A LOT of people get killed in double track areas, this is when there are two rails, trains can go either way, on either track. So folks see one trai go by, the gates don't go up, think it's because of the train that just went by, bolt thte gates, get pastered by the train on the OTHER track. The gates are activated by ALL the rails they protect. Not just the one that happens to have a train at it.
You guys are GREAT people, the best of society...God , I don't want to see any of you hurt....:(

boatsnblondes
05-08-2007, 10:16 PM
Find a link here....... (http://www.modbee.com/local/pmupdates/v-dp_evening/story/13562891p-14164460c.html)

Kachina26
05-08-2007, 10:26 PM
Edit, the modbee story looks more accurate than the abc news story that I quoted. What a crappy day for all who witnessed this and the family who lost all those loved ones.
The Phoenix news station reported a train striking an SUV, like the train veered off the tracks. It's no secret where the train will be, stay off the tracks!!!!

YeLLowBoaT
05-08-2007, 10:32 PM
you know it never fails to amaze me how people get hit by trains... then again, I love when your sitting in the right hand lane at a red light, behind the crossing gaurd. The jack ass behind you is blaring his horn so that you will go accross the tracks and make a right hand turn on the red... more so when there are big signs that say no right on red and your pointing too them and they don't get it. I've actaully had people get out of thier cars and want to start a fight over this... funny how they backed off when I got out with a 3' crowbar in my hand...

boatsnblondes
05-08-2007, 10:41 PM
BnB, Man O man did I get soooooo lucky not long ago. Trust me I did learn the lesson.
I ride my bike to work alot. Once I was at the crossing on Broadway in Anaheim. crossing arms were down and I waited for the Metrolink to pass. It did and I went around the arm and trucked across the tracks. I didn't get clear by more then 10' when I hear something. Yup, the Amtrak train was going the other direction and almost took me out. I never even knew it was there until I was already across. I get the same chills just thinking about it.
Then just today I'm sitting at the same crossing. Some maintaince thing was on the tracks. I was looking both ways after it went by. Nothing in sight but I still waited. lol
Hey, you ever go down the tracks on Santa Ana street in Anaheim? What a trip those tracks run right down the middle of the street. You drive right next to the trains. They go very slow through there. I live 4 houses away from that track and a train is going by now. F'ers make my windows rattle.
SD, your such a gonad.....:D

shueman
05-09-2007, 04:10 AM
Geez...:eek: :(

Boatcop
05-09-2007, 05:08 AM
I must have been hiy by a train in a previous life, because I'm absolutely scared chitless of trains. I stop or slow down at train crossings, and look even if the arms are up, the lights are off, and I can see the track in both directions.
Anyway you look at it, you will NOT survive a train collision intact, if at all. To me that would be the most gruesome there is way to die.

RitcheyRch
05-09-2007, 05:12 AM
So sad. My thoughts and prayers to all involved. Never understood why people are in such a hurry these days to even think about going around the gates and putting themselves and family members at risk of getting killed.

Sleek-Jet
05-09-2007, 05:43 AM
So sad. My thoughts and prayers to all involved. Never understood why people are in such a hurry these days to even think about going around the gates and putting themselves and family members at risk of getting killed.
I'll tell you what happens here in Tucson.
I-10 Parallels the RR right-of-way, and of course there is a frontage road. At all the major intersection and on/off ramps there is a light. Between the RR tracks and the traffic light is enough space for about 3 cars comfortably. Invariably, the second car only pull up about half as far as he should. So, there you are, thinking numb nutts ahead of you will pull up, and he doesn't. Your ass is hanging out on the track, or at least to close for comfort.
Anymore, if there is more than one car on the other side of the tracks waiting for the light, I just stay on my side till the light turns green. I got caught once and had to bail off the side of the road in the Blazer when the arms started comming down... :jawdrop:
Of course all we have is those slow ass UP trains, so no one is in any danger of dieing... :D :eek: <---- sorry for making light of a serious situation.

PUMPkin
05-09-2007, 05:50 AM
I feel for the family also, yet no one ever say's anything about how the crew of the train is doing. It's a very tramatic thing when we have a criticle incident on the railroad. I hope that Antrk has the Peer Support that we have on UP
Steve
39 yrs freight cond. and Peer Support Cordinator.

boatsnblondes
05-09-2007, 08:00 AM
I feel for the family also, yet no one ever say's anything about how the crew of the train is doing. It's a very tramatic thing when we have a criticle incident on the railroad. I hope that Antrk has the Peer Support that we have on UP
Steve
39 yrs freight cond. and Peer Support Cordinator.
We do Steve, funny thing is, we hit people so often out there, not sure peer support is even asked for, most guys take a couple days, get back out there. I fully expect to see the engineer from the incident yesterday at the sticks this morning, as I am his relief at the crew change...saw him yesterday.....but seeing as the FRA came in for this one, he might be down today so they can ask a few more questions...never know.....:eek:

Jordy
05-09-2007, 08:17 AM
It's amazing how many near misses there are with trains. Right after I got out of school I did an internship with the Arizona Corporation Commission, who is in charge of the railroad safety here. We got to do a ride along as part of Operation Lifesaver. They hitched up half a dozen historic passenger cars and loaded them up with LEO's from various jurisdictions (as well as staking them out along the crossings along our route), members of the media, and local dignitaries. We went from downtown Phoenix out to Queen Creek and back, and in our short trip, there were something like 10 citations issued for people going around crossing gates as well as a couple very near misses. Scary stuff!!!! :jawdrop:

Big Warlock
05-09-2007, 08:23 AM
The simple truth is:
You have to be smarter than the train. :confused:

Baja Big Dog
05-09-2007, 08:34 AM
The classic line....the tie goes to the train...:(

bocco
05-09-2007, 10:26 AM
Boatsnblondes,
Drive close to there and cross those same track in Oakdale on the way to Lake Don Pedro. Gonna pay closer attention next time.
Gary

LAFD
05-09-2007, 10:30 AM
not that is would have mattered but why was the train doing 80? is there a need to go that fast especially in something that cant stop worth shit in the first place.

Brady Bunch
05-09-2007, 11:39 AM
Give backing out of your driveway the same thought as you would for looking for trains at Railroad Crossings.......
A man backed over and killed his 19 month old yesterday morning in San Diego County when he left for work at 7:00 am. He did not notice that his child somehow followed him out the door. He began to backout and turn his Hummer out of his driveway and ran his child over. So tragic.......:(

PUMPkin
05-09-2007, 02:11 PM
It's amazing how many near misses there are with trains. Right after I got out of school I did an internship with the Arizona Corporation Commission, who is in charge of the railroad safety here. We got to do a ride along as part of Operation Lifesaver. They hitched up half a dozen historic passenger cars and loaded them up with LEO's from various jurisdictions (as well as staking them out along the crossings along our route), members of the media, and local dignitaries. We went from downtown Phoenix out to Queen Creek and back, and in our short trip, there were something like 10 citations issued for people going around crossing gates as well as a couple very near misses. Scary stuff!!!! :jawdrop:
Just got back on the Hinkle to Roseville Manafest train. Funny you should mention about near misses.
I ran the Roseville to Bakersfield run for about 10 years and I recorded all near misses IE: cars running the gates, people that crossed the tracks in frount of us within approx 150 ft, Kids that played chicken, just missing them by feet, ect.
this run had approx 10 trains on it in a 12 hr period
If they had the same near misses as I did----------
Between all the trains on that Subdivision the run from Roseville Ca to Bakersfield had a near miss every
19 seconds!

BigDutch
05-09-2007, 04:21 PM
Boatsnblondes,
Drive close to there and cross those same track in Oakdale on the way to Lake Don Pedro. Gonna pay closer attention next time.
Gary
I think you cross that track in Escalon. The track in Oakdale is for the Seirra dinner train, it goes SLLLOOOOWWWWW.
I go by that intesection every day, I even had a crew of guys that were going to be heading home about that time yestersday, 2:00 -2:30. I was in Yuba city and as soon as I heard about it I started calling every one of my guys(about 25) To make sure they were acounted for.
That crossing is set up bad. There is a stop sign about 1 - 1 1/2 car lenghts after the last rail. Most people stop on the rails and wait for the car in front of them to go through the stop sign. I often wonder why it doesn't happen more there.

boatsnblondes
05-09-2007, 08:03 PM
Thanks for the thoughts guys....LAFD...to answer your question..trains have rankings, some trains are just hotter than others, thats the nature of frieght. The hottest trains are generally those carrying UPS stuff, they want it there yesterday. These rankings generally determine who is senior to who, when trains meet. The more senior train stays on the main track, lesser of the two, goes in the siding..there are a few exceptions, but they don't matter here. The hottest trains on ANY railroad, except UP..;) are passenger trains. Back in the old days, it was common to see passenger trains doing 100+ mph..because passenger trains are lighter than freight, have much better brakes, called blended braking, they are rated at higher speeds...yesterday, it would not have mattered how fast the train was going, she drove out in front of the train with a second or two at the most...engineer never had a chance to do anything but watch... but those trains are rated for 80..there is talk of adding ATS to the route (Automatic Train Stop) which would allow for 90mph running. Surfliners do 90 out by Pendleton and a little south of there..on the NE cooridor, DC to Boston, Acela's do 160. High speed trains are everywhere around us, thus the need to talk about things like what to do if your in the zone...and in Ca. high speed rail is coming, within a decade, we could see a 220+ mph run from San Diego to the bat area...here is a rendering of what they are wanting to do...oh, and for you haters, odds are I'll be running them also...
See them HERE.... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD1QGNsRg74)

Riverhound
05-09-2007, 08:29 PM
Yesterday I was on the BNSF business cars on a special event running from Fullerton to San Diego when the line got shut down just south of San Juan Capistrano due to a fatality. From what we were told a young lady decided to take her own life and lay down on the tracks in front of the Amtrak commuter train. She got her wish and now the guy running the train has to live with this for the rest of his life. :(

bocco
05-10-2007, 08:30 AM
I think you cross that track in Escalon. The track in Oakdale is for the Seirra dinner train, it goes SLLLOOOOWWWWW.
I go by that intesection every day, I even had a crew of guys that were going to be heading home about that time yestersday, 2:00 -2:30. I was in Yuba city and as soon as I heard about it I started calling every one of my guys(about 25) To make sure they were acounted for.
That crossing is set up bad. There is a stop sign about 1 - 1 1/2 car lenghts after the last rail. Most people stop on the rails and wait for the car in front of them to go through the stop sign. I often wonder why it doesn't happen more there.
Your right. It is Escalon. We also take 132 sometimes and cross them just before Empire. It seems like the problem is having and intersection right next to the tracks. You see the same thing on 132 near Empire and also on Hatch Rd.

Silver
05-10-2007, 08:41 AM
Man.....God Bless them. :jawdrop:
Thanks for sharing BnB, sometimes just having a plan, or just thinking something through helps..... if and when you might have to stop and think about what to do QUICKLY!