Car Hits Two Trains At Once!

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

This is what can happen in multiple track territory when one vehicle disobeys the crossing signals! This one pretty bad folks. My phone has ringing off the hook from my CSX coworkers and former Amtrak coworkers. A car went around the crossing gates at Trout River Blvd in Dinsmore which is in northwest Jacksonville only about three miles or so from the station. It involved two trains. The car was struck first by #92 the SIlver Star, and then struck by a freight on the other track, wedged and drug between the two trains according to my coworkers. Anyway, a link is provided below. OBS...

story

 

[George Harris]

At least they are not starting out in the "It's the railroad's fault" mode.

Here is a partial quote form the link:

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says the driver of the car tried to beat a southbound CSX freight train across the tracks, but apparently didn't see a northbound Amtrak train.
JSO says the trains sounded their whistles, and the railroad crossing had the gates down and lights flashing.

"This person gambled, they gambled with their life and lost," said JSO spokesperson Ken Jefferson in a live interview on First Coast News at 11 p.m.

Passenger trian was the northbound Silver Star. The "empty long distance train" to quote so many commentators, had 254 passengers according to the article.

 

[Sam Damon]

The kicker in this story is that, of course, Jacksonville has the CSX headquarters located there.

You'd think CSX would be able to talk the local media into running the Operation Lifesaver PSAs fairly often. Granted, "free" airtime is not so "free" these days, but if one is clever, the costs can be reduced somewhat. I just think it's amazing for such an accident to happen in the CSX headshed town, period.

Perhaps CSX should move its headquarters back to Huntington, WV?

 

[gyuri_ft]

This is what can happen in multiple track territory when one vehicle disobeys the crossing signals! This one pretty bad folks. My phone has ringing off the hook from my CSX coworkers and former Amtrak coworkers. A car went around the crossing gates at Trout River Blvd in Dinsmore which is in northwest Jacksonville only about three miles or so from the station. It involved two trains. The car was struck first by #92 the SIlver Star, and then struck by a freight on the other track, wedged and drug between the two trains according to my coworkers. Anyway, a link is provided below. OBS...
story

Who was in car was killed instantly. Very tragic. Who was on the train suffered a psychic trauma. It is the stuff you will remember for the rest of your life.

Maybe part of the deal getting a driver's license should be to watch an obligatory video car vs. train? Many peole do not realize what a train is and thnk, it can stop instantly.

 

[AmtrakFan]

The kicker in this story is that, of course, Jacksonville has the CSX headquarters located there.
You'd think CSX would be able to talk the local media into running the Operation Lifesaver PSAs fairly often. Granted, "free" airtime is not so "free" these days, but if one is clever, the costs can be reduced somewhat. I just think it's amazing for such an accident to happen in the CSX headshed town, period.

Perhaps CSX should move its headquarters back to Huntington, WV?

With the WV Weather, I doubt the Big Wigs would be happy being in WV. I do agree RR's need to use the media for OLI PSA's.

 

[Sam Damon]

Apparently, this car was on a pizza run, according to the Jacksonville, FL Florida Times-Union:

Fatal crash ruins couple's future
It was what time couldn't give back that made LaTonna Woodard's eyes water Monday as she held a photo of her son and talked about plans he had made with his girlfriend.

Her son, Timothy Love, and his girlfriend, Angela Felix, both 19, talked about staying together forever, the Jacksonville mother said.

The father of a 2-year-old boy, Love was studying to be an electrician while Felix was focusing on a nursing career, Woodard said. In the meantime, both had other jobs: he at Domino's Pizza on Soutel Drive and she at a Wal-Mart on the Southside.

I'm not much on retribution, but in this case, I think Amtrak and CSX should extract some cash from Dominos Pizza to run Operation Lifesaver PSAs on Jacksonville-area radio and television. If anyone reading this thread has connections with CSX PR, tell them.

 

[battalion51]

You know one thing I would love to see Amtrak do again is paint up some engines into Operation Lifesaver schemes as they did with Chris Fussell's 231.

 

[had8ley]

This is what can happen in multiple track territory when one vehicle disobeys the crossing signals! This one pretty bad folks. My phone has ringing off the hook from my CSX coworkers and former Amtrak coworkers. A car went around the crossing gates at Trout River Blvd in Dinsmore which is in northwest Jacksonville only about three miles or so from the station. It involved two trains. The car was struck first by #92 the SIlver Star, and then struck by a freight on the other track, wedged and drug between the two trains according to my coworkers. Anyway, a link is provided below. OBS...

story

Who was in car was killed instantly. Very tragic. Who was on the train suffered a psychic trauma. It is the stuff you will remember for the rest of your life.

Maybe part of the deal getting a driver's license should be to watch an obligatory video car vs. train? Many peole do not realize what a train is and thnk, it can stop instantly.

Years ago we were meeting our passenger train (pre-Amtrak) on single main line in the wee hours of the morning. Of course we were in the siding and I got down to look over the old E-8 and two coaches. Right after #22 passed (T&P) our train went into emergency. When I walked back a carload of teenagers had run into a flat car in the middle of our train. The unsuspecting teen-agers didn't think to look on the other track as soon as the passenger train got by. They sure sobered up quick when the local yocals showed up and were all right. Sometime later I ran into the flagman on the passenger train and he said he saw the whole thing as he was taking a smoke break in the rear vestibule. It definitely is these type of experiences you never forget.

 

[socalsteve]

The kicker in this story is that, of course, Jacksonville has the CSX headquarters located there.
You'd think CSX would be able to talk the local media into running the Operation Lifesaver PSAs fairly often. Granted, "free" airtime is not so "free" these days, but if one is clever, the costs can be reduced somewhat. I just think it's amazing for such an accident to happen in the CSX headshed town, period.

Perhaps CSX should move its headquarters back to Huntington, WV?

Until about 20 years ago, CSX also owned the two Jacksonville newspapers. Legend has it that there was a railroad man stationed in the newsroom to vet all stories having to do with railroads. Trains NEVER hit cars; cars hit trains.

 

[Guest_Yerry_*]

Sorry, but I seriously doubt anyone on the train had "psychic trauma", unless someone else was linking with them telepathicly. . . .

 

[Superliner Diner]

Sorry, but I seriously doubt anyone on the train had "psychic trauma", unless someone else was linking with them telepathicly. . . .

Consider the feelings of the engineer, knowing he is headed for a collision, possibly fatal, but powerless to prevent it. Consider the Conductor, who is usually the first person on the scene to see the carnage caused by the incident. Usually it is not pretty. So yes, the crews can have trauma, and because of that they are relieved of duty right away and offered counseling.

 

[Rex]

Sorry, but I seriously doubt anyone on the train had "psychic trauma", unless someone else was linking with them telepathicly. . . .

Consider the feelings of the engineer, knowing he is headed for a collision, possibly fatal, but powerless to prevent it. Consider the Conductor, who is usually the first person on the scene to see the carnage caused by the incident. Usually it is not pretty. So yes, the crews can have trauma, and because of that they are relieved of duty right away and offered counseling.

Consider that the term "psychic trauma" was used instead of "psychological trauma". Consider the difference between psychic and psychological.

 

[battalion51]

Sorry, but I seriously doubt anyone on the train had "psychic trauma", unless someone else was linking with them telepathicly. . . .

Consider the feelings of the engineer, knowing he is headed for a collision, possibly fatal, but powerless to prevent it. Consider the Conductor, who is usually the first person on the scene to see the carnage caused by the incident. Usually it is not pretty. So yes, the crews can have trauma, and because of that they are relieved of duty right away and offered counseling.

That's not necessarily true. Depending on the nature of the accident and the circumstances, in some cases the crew will continue the trip many times. A buddy of mine has hit a few trucks (no fatalities), and he's continued the trip each time. The only time the crew must be relieved IIRC is if there is a major incident (in which case the train usually is terminated) or if the crew goes on the law.

 

[frj1983]

Sorry, but I seriously doubt anyone on the train had "psychic trauma", unless someone else was linking with them telepathicly. . . .

Consider the feelings of the engineer, knowing he is headed for a collision, possibly fatal, but powerless to prevent it. Consider the Conductor, who is usually the first person on the scene to see the carnage caused by the incident. Usually it is not pretty. So yes, the crews can have trauma, and because of that they are relieved of duty right away and offered counseling.

That's not necessarily true. Depending on the nature of the accident and the circumstances, in some cases the crew will continue the trip many times. A buddy of mine has hit a few trucks (no fatalities), and he's continued the trip each time. The only time the crew must be relieved IIRC is if there is a major incident (in which case the train usually is terminated) or if the crew goes on the law.

Battalion51,

I believe a fatality/fatalities are considered a "major incident!" Here in Illinois, whenever a fatality is involved, the Engineer is automatically taken off the train and has to be given a drug test. What makes no sense to me is that it seems like the engineer is somehow guilty of causing the accident until proven innocent.

I can't remember the TV Station, but a few years ago a Chicago TV Reporter rode with a Metra engineer from Aurora to Chicago and back again. Amazing how many people went around gates to try and beat the train. Both engineers remarked that they knew they were going to hit someone, it just boiled down to when. The Reporter admitted to being shaken at a few near misses. You only have to wait a few minutes for a train to pass: what's the hurry?

 

[battalion51]

Like I said it varies. I do not believe that it is a requirement in the operating rules to necessarily relieve the Engineer during a fatality incident, but it does happen most of the time. What I was referring to as a major incident is a situation where the train hits the ground.

 

[sechs]

Here in Illinois, whenever a fatality is involved, the Engineer is automatically taken off the train and has to be given a drug test. What makes no sense to me is that it seems like the engineer is somehow guilty of causing the accident until proven innocent.

My theory on this procedure is to extinguish any lingering thoughts as to whose fault it is....

 

[George Harris]

Here in Illinois, whenever a fatality is involved, the Engineer is automatically taken off the train and has to be given a drug test. What makes no sense to me is that it seems like the engineer is somehow guilty of causing the accident until proven innocent.

My theory on this procedure is to extinguish any lingering thoughts as to whose fault it is....

It is more of an FRA / NTSB requirement, as the issue of the Engineer's and Conductor's coditions and actions are always part of the accident report regardless of whether any action or inaction on their part would have affected the outcome. This is true even if some knucklehead drives through a gate into the side of train in broad daylight.

 

[PRR 60]

Plus I believe there is a US DOT requirement for drug and alcohol testing of any crew member involved in an accident regardless of how obvious the assignment of fault is. That would necessitate the replacement of the affected crew people immediately after the accident.

 

[sechs]

Nonetheless, my statement stands.

 

[George Harris]

Nonetheless, my statement stands.

Agree that it works that way, and may have a lot to do with the origin of the requirement. I think it came into being after the Chase MD accident which involved a potted freight engineer overrunning a red signal getting out on the main and being hit by a passenger train moving at over 100 mph. This despite cab signals and literally all the associated bells and whistles on the freight locos.