#3 (11) vs car Topeka, ks

shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
And another Amtrak locomotive is put out of service for an extended period of time for repairs.
 
I see the train is running about 5 hours late. If the engine that hit the car was damaged, probably a freight unit will be needed for Raton Pass. Another wasteful and unnecessary tragedy. I was just thinking a few days ago that the grade crossing accidents had declined. Now this.
 
At least that one is out of the gene pool................sounds so callous when I look at what I just wrote it but it's exactly how I feel when I read about the "accident".............what IS wrong with people?
 
HARHBG said:
At least that one is out of the gene pool................sounds so callous when I look at what I just wrote it but it's exactly how I feel when I read about the "accident".............what IS wrong with people?
Click to expand...
I hate to admit it, but I'm starting to share that sentiment. Before working for this company, I never realized how many grade crossings and trespasser strikes there are on a weekly basis. I mean..On Monday alone 2190 and a NJ Transit train both had fatalities. It really is sad, and I must imagine it's a horrible thing for witnesses on the platform, the crews that need to go out and inspect the carnage, the contractors that have to clean up the site and consist.

I am fortunate that I haven't experienced a fatality on any of my trains yet *knocks on wood*, but given the stories, I am not looking forward to the day. And I will not lie, this is one of the very reasons I am quite content staying as an LSA. It takes a lot to turn my stomach, but I don't know if I could handle having to inspect the damage and severeness of a strike.
 
greatcats said:
I see the train is running about 5 hours late. If the engine that hit the car was damaged, probably a freight unit will be needed for Raton Pass. Another wasteful and unnecessary tragedy. I was just thinking a few days ago that the grade crossing accidents had declined. Now this.
Click to expand...
No, the grade crossing accidents keep happening. Many of them don't get posted or noted here unless it is a bad one. For example, Surfliner #777 hit a SUV in Chatsworth, CA on February 10: Amtrak train collides with unoccupied car near Chatsworth station. Nobody was injured, SUV was banged up, not much of a news story.

As for the accident in Topeka with the driver going around the lowered crossing gates, that is happening a lot in the Amtrak grade crossing collisions in recent months. Makes an argument for more quad gates and grade separation projects. If those are too expensive for the crossing, longer crossing arms to make it more difficult to drive around the gates.
 
afigg said:
greatcats said:
I see the train is running about 5 hours late. If the engine that hit the car was damaged, probably a freight unit will be needed for Raton Pass. Another wasteful and unnecessary tragedy. I was just thinking a few days ago that the grade crossing accidents had declined. Now this.
Click to expand...
No, the grade crossing accidents keep happening. Many of them don't get posted or noted here unless it is a bad one. For example, Surfliner #777 hit a SUV in Chatsworth, CA on February 10: Amtrak train collides with unoccupied car near Chatsworth station. Nobody was injured, SUV was banged up, not much of a news story.

As for the accident in Topeka with the driver going around the lowered crossing gates, that is happening a lot in the Amtrak grade crossing collisions in recent months. Makes an argument for more quad gates and grade separation projects. If those are too expensive for the crossing, longer crossing arms to make it more difficult to drive around the gates.
Click to expand...
Or this one on Thursday. http://komonews.com/sponsored/wafed/financial-focus-tips/driver-t-bones-moving-amtrak-train-in-burlington I have to admit, I laughed harder than I should have at this one. You drove around the gate and T-boned the engine, which continued for 30 miles before realizing debris from your vehicle was stuck on it. How do you explain that to your insurance company?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here's my idea - make the gates go all the way across the road, but make them of flexible rubber with nails embedded in them.

They're made of rubber, so someone who's literally stuck in the path of a train can drive through them in an emergency.

But they have nails or sharp spikes in them so they'll completely shred your car's paint if you do, causing extensive damage. This will prevent people from driving through them unnecessarily.

Problem solved.
 
west point said:
Camera enforcement at known locations for crossing scofflaws. $5000 fine + license points. Make it a federal offense.
Click to expand...
As long as camera enforcement meant that there was near 100% likelihood of being caught, I think that fines could be significantly smaller and there would still be much greater compliance.

It's the likelihood of being caught, more so than the severity of punishment, that will probably be more effective in changing behaviors. Right now, the punishment ranges as high as death (in a collision).
 
This is possibly somewhat tactless, but the grade crossing accident caused #3(211) to arrive at LAX over 6 hours late, breaking a streak of early or near on-time arrivals at LAX since the start of 2016. The only other #3 which I would consider significantly late was #3(2/01) which arrived at LAX 1:55 late. So, reduce grade crossing collisions and not only save lives, but also improve schedule reliability.

Amtrak Status Maps archive database dump for #3 arrivals at LAX since the start of 2016.

Code: 
History for Amtrak 3 at LAX (Los Angeles - Union Station, CA)
Origin Date Sch AR Act AR Comments Service Disruption Cancellations
02/12/2016 (Fr) 02/14/2016 8:15 AM (Su) 8:42AM Arr: 27 min late. 
02/11/2016 (Th) 02/13/2016 8:15 AM (Sa) 2:21PM Arr: 6 hr, 6 min late. SD
02/10/2016 (We) 02/12/2016 8:15 AM (Fr) 7:42AM Arr: 33 min early. 
02/09/2016 (Tu) 02/11/2016 8:15 AM (Th) 7:53AM Arr: 22 min early. 
02/08/2016 (Mo) 02/10/2016 8:15 AM (We) 7:50AM Arr: 25 min early. 
02/07/2016 (Su) 02/09/2016 8:15 AM (Tu) 8:15AM Arr: On time. 
02/06/2016 (Sa) 02/08/2016 8:15 AM (Mo) 7:41AM Arr: 34 min early. 
02/05/2016 (Fr) 02/07/2016 8:15 AM (Su) 7:29AM Arr: 46 min early. 
02/04/2016 (Th) 02/06/2016 8:15 AM (Sa) 7:31AM Arr: 44 min early. 
02/03/2016 (We) 02/05/2016 8:15 AM (Fr) 7:57AM Arr: 18 min early. 
02/02/2016 (Tu) 02/04/2016 8:15 AM (Th) 8:20AM Arr: 5 min late. 
02/01/2016 (Mo) 02/03/2016 8:15 AM (We) 10:10AM Arr: 1 hr, 55 min late. 
01/31/2016 (Su) 02/02/2016 8:15 AM (Tu) 8:37AM Arr: 22 min late. 
01/30/2016 (Sa) 02/01/2016 8:15 AM (Mo) 7:50AM Arr: 25 min early. 
01/29/2016 (Fr) 01/31/2016 8:15 AM (Su) 7:17AM Arr: 58 min early. 
01/28/2016 (Th) 01/30/2016 8:15 AM (Sa) 7:17AM Arr: 58 min early. 
01/27/2016 (We) 01/29/2016 8:15 AM (Fr) 7:29AM Arr: 46 min early. 
01/26/2016 (Tu) 01/28/2016 8:15 AM (Th) 7:49AM Arr: 26 min early. 
01/25/2016 (Mo) 01/27/2016 8:15 AM (We) 7:40AM Arr: 35 min early. 
01/24/2016 (Su) 01/26/2016 8:15 AM (Tu) 7:40AM Arr: 35 min early. 
01/23/2016 (Sa) 01/25/2016 8:15 AM (Mo) 7:30AM Arr: 45 min early. 
01/22/2016 (Fr) 01/24/2016 8:15 AM (Su) 7:17AM Arr: 58 min early. 
01/21/2016 (Th) 01/23/2016 8:15 AM (Sa) 7:17AM Arr: 58 min early. 
01/20/2016 (We) 01/22/2016 8:15 AM (Fr) 7:43AM Arr: 32 min early. 
01/19/2016 (Tu) 01/21/2016 8:15 AM (Th) 7:34AM Arr: 41 min early. 
01/18/2016 (Mo) 01/20/2016 8:15 AM (We) 7:31AM Arr: 44 min early. 
01/17/2016 (Su) 01/19/2016 8:15 AM (Tu) 7:43AM Arr: 32 min early. 
01/16/2016 (Sa) 01/18/2016 8:15 AM (Mo) 7:52AM Arr: 23 min early. 
01/15/2016 (Fr) 01/17/2016 8:15 AM (Su) 7:48AM Arr: 27 min early. 
01/14/2016 (Th) 01/16/2016 8:15 AM (Sa) 7:15AM Arr: 1 hr early. 
01/13/2016 (We) 01/15/2016 8:15 AM (Fr) 7:39AM Arr: 36 min early. 
01/12/2016 (Tu) 01/14/2016 8:15 AM (Th) 7:49AM Arr: 26 min early. 
01/11/2016 (Mo) 01/13/2016 8:15 AM (We) 7:32AM Arr: 43 min early. 
01/10/2016 (Su) 01/12/2016 8:15 AM (Tu) 7:35AM Arr: 40 min early. 
01/09/2016 (Sa) 01/11/2016 8:15 AM (Mo) 7:44AM Arr: 31 min early. 
01/08/2016 (Fr) 01/10/2016 8:15 AM (Su) 7:07AM Arr: 1 hr, 8 min early. 
01/07/2016 (Th) 01/09/2016 8:15 AM (Sa) 7:15AM Arr: 1 hr early. 
01/06/2016 (We) 01/08/2016 8:15 AM (Fr) 7:20AM Arr: 55 min early. 
01/05/2016 (Tu) 01/07/2016 8:15 AM (Th) 7:37AM Arr: 38 min early. 
01/04/2016 (Mo) 01/06/2016 8:15 AM (We) 7:34AM Arr: 41 min early. 
01/03/2016 (Su) 01/05/2016 8:15 AM (Tu) 7:46AM Arr: 29 min early. 
01/02/2016 (Sa) 01/04/2016 8:15 AM (Mo) 8:19AM Arr: 4 min late. 
01/01/2016 (Fr) 01/03/2016 8:15 AM (Su) 7:24AM Arr: 51 min early. 
12/31/2015 (Th) 01/02/2016 8:15 AM (Sa) 7:30AM Arr: 45 min early. 
12/30/2015 (We) 01/01/2016 8:15 AM (Fr) 7:46AM Arr: 29 min early. 
Average AR delay:  22 minutes early
Median AR delay:  35 minutes early
 
A friend had to respond to a pedestrian suicide on the Surfliner at one of the segments near the beach. He was there to help clean up what was left. He said he had to fight the seagulls for the bits and pieces.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top