This is about 2 miles or so from the house. Here's a local story on it:
really?????
ABSOLUTELY! There is more than enough education and effort being made to let people know plain and simple STOP LOOK AND LISTEN! I was taught this back in the early 60s! Moreover these idiots were driving on an unauthorized road and I am just going to venture a strong betting man's guess were not even paying attention at the crossing.
In any case, sympathy for the dead accomplishes nothing. Might we agree on some sympathy for the idiots' families? After all, they had to deal with these two for a long time and will now have to deal with the legal, emotional, and financial consequences of their stupidity. And I certainly feel sympathy for the train crew, especially the hoghead, and to all the passengers, and to all who had to respond to the incident.
On the one hand, I offer the families a bit of sympathy, and I feel some sympathy for the kid (presuming that the son was a kid and that it wasn't the kid driving). On the other hand, that sympathy has a limit: While I am sorry for their loss, given the facts I want them to be denied any remedy against Amtrak or the host line. They might have a claim against the owner of the private road if an argument can be made that the road was not posted and/or (in legal terms) was a nuisance. Likewise, the father (who I presume was driving) deserves one hell of a chewing out at the pearly gates for this one...reckless endangerment, anyone?
I will actually agree, at least for the main lines. With rarely-used (or effectively disused) spur lines in rural areas crossing minor roads, particularly with low-class or excepted track, I'm inclined to disagree, if only because at least in some cases I could see a railroad simply opting to abandon such a line. A good example would actually be along some of the industrial spurs on the Peninsula (most of which have been in decline for a long, long time): I just can't see CSX throwing in a few million dollars total to keep up lines which it probably generates very marginal profits on. The same goes for the NS spurs down on Southside.
And every road intersection with stop signs should have them replaced with traffic lights or grade seperations? There is a limit to how far it is reasonable to go to protect people from themselves.
The son was 32-years old and sitting in the passenger seat. The father was a retired police officer, and officials think that's how he knew about using the road as a shortcut to get around busy city traffic. They were in a rush to get a King Cake. The son was on break from his job and had to return in a little while.
I agree. I'm tired of seeing all the "idiot" signs (signs telling people to use common sense).
Ride the Empire Builder. Note how often the horn blows, even in rural Montana and North Dakota. Multiply that by the tens of thousands of dollars each crossing gate would cost. Calculate how much it would cost just this one main line.
Not to mention that gates mean nothing in terms of reducing accidents.
I have to disagree with your claim that "the gates mean nothing". Crossings with gates would normally be at crossings with high vehicle traffic counts and a busy rail line. With more vehicles per hour and more trains per day, there would be greater opportunity for an accident. Yes, more than a third of the accidents occurred at crossings with gates, but by traffic count, I bet those crossings represent 80 or 90 percent of all crossing traffic. By any valid statistical measure, gated crossings are safer than ungated or un-protectected.
Ditch lights....It's pretty hard to miss the headlight and the... umm... what do you call the two little lights under the headlight that blink left, then right, then left, then right...? I love those lights.
These things were first used in Canada, and were called ditch lights because the lit up the areas off to the sides that the headlights did not illuminate. Whether that is what they are still called, I do not know.It's pretty hard to miss the headlight and the... umm... what do you call the two little lights under the headlight that blink left, then right, then left, then right...? I love those lights.
The FRA calls them "Auxilliary Lights" in the regulation, but they are known as Ditch Lights in the field. They do make a world of difference! They do not, however, all flash. That seems to be an East Coast (CSX/NS) and Amtrak thing. Most of the rest of the US uses steady ditch lights that do not flash.These things were first used in Canada, and were called ditch lights because the lit up the areas off to the sides that the headlights did not illuminate. Whether that is what they are still called, I do not know.It's pretty hard to miss the headlight and the... umm... what do you call the two little lights under the headlight that blink left, then right, then left, then right...? I love those lights.
They're real purpose, isn't necessarily to light up the ditches and woods, but to create a 3 point reference- At night, it's hard to tell if a single light is 100 yards away, or 1000, and nearly impossible to judge speed at all. The 3 position lights create a reference point, that better allows someone to judge distance and speed of the approaching train. It helps. I've run with both, and I can tell you they also greatly increase visibility from the cab. It's creepy dark when running an older loco without them now. Amazing how much difference it makes.Thanks, everyone.
It makes sense to have them for ditches/woods, but I also like that they draw attention to the train (on top of the loud horn). Plus, they're kinda pretty.
Oh, that does make more sense.They're real purpose, isn't necessarily to light up the ditches and woods, but to create a 3 point reference- At night, it's hard to tell if a single light is 100 yards away, or 1000, and nearly impossible to judge speed at all. The 3 position lights create a reference point, that better allows someone to judge distance and speed of the approaching train. It helps. I've run with both, and I can tell you they also greatly increase visibility from the cab. It's creepy dark when running an older loco without them now. Amazing how much difference it makes.Thanks, everyone.
It makes sense to have them for ditches/woods, but I also like that they draw attention to the train (on top of the loud horn). Plus, they're kinda pretty.
