[jamesbrownontheroad]

So it's not just dumb-ass teenagers who jump the lights. Note how the report emphasises the ambulance had its lights and sirens "blaring" ... perhaps they expected the train to swerve?

A brief report from CHEK-TV is on the homepage today: http://www.cheknews.ca/

Quote

Ambulance collides with E&N Dayliner in Langford
http://www.timescolo...4567/story.html
BY KATIE DEROSA, TIMES COLONIST JULY 26, 2010
A B.C. Ambulance collided with the E&N Dayliner as it passed through Langford last night.

The crash happened around 7:50 p.m., as the ambulance approached Jacklin Road at Dunford Avenue, where the rail line crosses, according to Shawn Carby, the ambulance service’s executive director for Vancouver Island.

The two paramedics were heading northbound on Jacklin Road, on their way to an emergency call with lights and sirens blaring.

This post has been edited by MrFSS: 27 July 2010 - 06:31 AM
Reason for edit: To comply with copyright rules

[Ryan]

"there’s no indication the driver did anything wrong"

I'd say that the meat wagon was on the tracks when the train came through is indication enough!

[amtrakwolverine]

Wonder if they will cite the train engineer for reckless driving

[DET63]

I've used Google Maps to look at the place. It's an awkward intersection. Jacklin's the main road in the area, but Dunford is a major cross street (which apparently then changes into Station Ave.). Cutting diagonally the intersection is the railroad track. A stoplight controls the intersection, and signals control the railroad crossing, but there appear to be no gates. I don't know if the crossing signals override the stoplights, or how they do so (i.e., do they let traffic on Dunford/Station clear first, then let traffic on Jacklin go, or vice versa?). I also don't know if emergency vehicles are able to override the stoplight at the intersection to allow an ambulance or fire truck to go through without running a red light. If so, the ambulance driver (who said in the article he couldn't see the train or—presumably—the crossing signals due to the position of the sun) may have believed everyone had stopped for him rather than for the train, something he in fact stated in the article.

Fortunately, no one was injured, and the train was probably traveling quite slowly to boot, as it stopped "a few metres up the track" from the point of impact, according to the article.