BCL
Engineer
Rather sad. Apparently a mother and her child.
http://abc7news.com/news/2-dead-after-amtrak-train-hits-vehicle-in-san-leandro-/1353966/
http://abc7news.com/news/2-dead-after-amtrak-train-hits-vehicle-in-san-leandro-/1353966/
Looked up the crossing on Google Map. The single track railroad line crosses Washington Avenue at a low angle near an intersection with a side road. The grade crossing is a challenging one as is the nearby grade crossing across the 5-6 lane wide Halcyon Drive. Given the density of buildings and homes in the area around the 2 grade crossings, they look to be crossings that really should be fully grade separated, although it wouldn't be a simple project.The vehicle was stuck in heavy traffic going north on Washington Avenue near Chapman Road. This is a four-lane road where the train tracks cross the road at an angle, and it is unknown if the driver saw the train coming, Lt. Robert McManus said.
There already is a pilot on the cab cars and locomotives, usually shaped like a snow plow.I see something in the pictures that is really scary to me. The SUV wedged under the cab car a good 3 feet, fortunately it slid. Had it stuck on the tracks a little bit more the front of the SUV could easily have gotten under the front truck and caused a derailment at speed.
Seems like there needs to be some sort of pilot/deflector installed under the front end of the cab cars.
Well, I'd hardly say there's no driver's ed anymore, but like history class that never gets past World War One, the teachers choose to cover what they cover in the time allotted.Never drive onto the tracks unless you can get all the way across them to the other side. They taught us this over and over and over again as a kid. Apparently there's no drivers' education any more and no driving exams. I am angry that people will recklessly endanger the lives of their children like this.
It's such a simple concept and a very easy rule to follow but I've seen many people ignore it. Mostly pickup and SUV drivers in my experience. I'd like to suggest all new drivers be limited to Smart cars at first. Hard to drive like a maniac when you're in something that tiny. Once you've proven you understand how to drive responsibly for a year or two you can move up to larger vehicles.Never drive onto the tracks unless you can get all the way across them to the other side. They taught us this over and over and over again as a kid. Apparently there's no drivers' education any more and no driving exams. I am angry that people will recklessly endanger the lives of their children like this.
Yes, and I've personally heard [honk!] many more people [honk!!] loudly urging [HONK!] someone else in a vehicle in front of them [HONK!!] to ignore it.It's such a simple concept and a very easy rule to follow but I've seen many people ignore it.Never drive onto the tracks unless you can get all the way across them to the other side. They taught us this over and over and over again as a kid. Apparently there's no drivers' education any more and no driving exams. I am angry that people will recklessly endanger the lives of their children like this.
I like it! I drive a sedan, but I'm very aware of the sheer size difference between me and the trucks & SUVs around me in traffic.Mostly pickup and SUV drivers in my experience. I'd like to suggest all new drivers be limited to Smart cars at first. Hard to drive like a maniac when you're in something that tiny. Once you've proven you understand how to drive responsibly for a year or two you can move up to larger vehicles.
AlohaNever drive onto the tracks unless you can get all the way across them to the other side. They taught us this over and over and over again as a kid. Apparently there's no drivers' education any more and no driving exams. I am angry that people will recklessly endanger the lives of their children like this.
I Agree.Maybe it's time for a service disruption sub-forum for all these reports.
It look over eight miles for the Amtrak train to stop?????
A short while ago, I was on a major street which had freight tracks running parallel. Up ahead was a street that crossed the street I was on, and crossed over those tracks.I don't think many drivers intentionally or knowingly stop on the tracks. It may happen when a driver misjudges how much room there will be ahead and the vehicle behind leaves no room to back up.
Crossings with stoplights are almost always setup to interrupt the normal traffic cycle and create a clear path away from the crossing whenever a train is approaching. It's possible the crossing system wasn't operating correctly or that one or more vehicles were blocking the exit route, but that still doesn't absolve this driver from ultimate responsibility. It is the responsibility of the driver to recognize grade crossings and to only enter the crossing once it is clear to pass.Just a follow up on the TV news piece I saw. There is no article up, but it was on KTVU TV. The way the witness described it, it seems like she might have just stopped when the lights and crossing bars went down, but had no idea that she was on the tracks. The gist seemed to be that she had time to proceed forward, but she probably believed she was in a safe place to wait for the train to pass.
The witness said she had nothing but unimpeded pavement ahead of her. It was a sharp angle to the tracks though.Crossings with stoplights are almost always setup to interrupt the normal traffic cycle and create a clear path away from the crossing whenever a train is approaching. It's possible the crossing system wasn't operating correctly or that one or more vehicles were blocking the exit route, but that still doesn't absolve this driver from ultimate responsibility. It is the responsibility of the driver to recognize grade crossings and to only enter the crossing once it is clear to pass.Just a follow up on the TV news piece I saw. There is no article up, but it was on KTVU TV. The way the witness described it, it seems like she might have just stopped when the lights and crossing bars went down, but had no idea that she was on the tracks. The gist seemed to be that she had time to proceed forward, but she probably believed she was in a safe place to wait for the train to pass.
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