Amtrak grade crossing incident

west point · Saturday at 12:12 AM

This time train 74 with a p-42 hits a police car at Greensboro. One word comment "CLUNK"

Check video as Amtrak pushes the car down the track. Car did not appear to ever go off track. Ridiculous/

https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/t...losed/83-bc7590bd-2447-41b2-a7d8-e9cc7351dff3

TheVig · Saturday at 6:15 AM

Not sure if that's gonna buff out, but at least no one was hurt.

MARC Rider · Saturday at 8:37 AM

Normally, it's never good news for someone who runs into a police car, but maybe it's different in this case. At least it wasn't a case of a cop trying to beat a descending crossing gate.

west point · Saturday at 8:37 AM

The policeman was certain that the train would stop for the blue light. He was almost correct as the train appears to have stopped blocking the crossing. How many cars on that train? What appears is that the car was parked on the tracks pointed parallel to the tracks. Otherwise why would the police car travel along the tracks.

AmtrakBlue · Saturday at 8:45 AM

MARC Rider said:
Normally, it's never good news for someone who runs into a police car, but maybe it's different in this case. At least it wasn't a case of a cop trying to beat a descending crossing gate.

Looked to me he was stopped between the gates. Not too smart if you ask me.

John Santos · Saturday at 6:20 PM

AmtrakBlue said:
Looked to me he was stopped between the gates. Not too smart if you ask me.

I hope the engineer didn't get a ticket!

Steve4031 · Saturday at 8:52 PM

IMHO the police department dispatcher should have known to call the railroad. Additionally, the officer at the grade crossing should have known or been trained to know to directly call the railroad using the number posted near the crossing.

A similar case happened in Michigan though in that case the police dispatcher called the wrong railroad.

IMHO operation lifesaver or somone should pay for a series of public service announcements letting people know what to do if your car is stuck on the tracks. This is a different scenario than people driving around the gates.

Cal · Saturday at 11:18 PM

Steve4031 said:
IMHO operation lifesaver or somone should pay for a series of public service announcements letting people know what to do if your car is stuck on the tracks. This is a different scenario than people driving around the gates.

I know railroad social medias have posted about this. I have seen multiple videos and ads that say to call the number on the blue sign.

Sad how people still bet on trains stopping in time.

UserNameRequired · Sunday at 5:14 PM

Fortunate no one was detained or arrested in the back of the cruiser. What is it with police that think they can park on the tracks while investigating something else?

Cal · Sunday at 5:41 PM

UserNameRequired said:
Fortunate no one was detained or arrested in the back of the cruiser. What is it with police that think they can park on the tracks while investigating something else?

Honestly my frustration and disappointment in these situations is large. I'm just gonna keep it at that...

west point · Sunday at 10:08 PM

Cal said:
Honestly my frustration and disappointment in these situations is large. I'm just gonna keep it at that...

What needs to be done is: Send the officer involved back to repeat the state certification program. Officer has to pay. Then pass the word to every police agency in the state.

railiner · Sunday at 10:14 PM

UserNameRequired said:
What is it with police that think they can park on the tracks while investigating something else?

While as a whole, I respect and appreciate law enforcement officers for their service, I dislike the arrogance displayed by some of them, parking any place they feel like, even when not covering an emergency, often blocking other traffic. Just because “they can”, and are just too lazy to park properly…

George Harris · Monday at 10:38 AM

Steve4031 said:
IMHO the police department dispatcher should have known to call the railroad. Additionally, the officer at the grade crossing should have known or been trained to know to directly call the railroad using the number posted near the crossing.

A similar case happened in Michigan though in that case the police dispatcher called the wrong railroad.

Nope. The police dispatcher should not make the call for exactly the comment about the Michigan event. The cop in the car or first responder to whatever is blocking the crossing should look for and find the LITTLE BLUE SIGN on the pole supporting the crossing warning and CALL THAT NUMBER. The sign has all the information needed for the railroad to call trains approaching that crossing. Doing anything else will delay the transfer of information even if they do know which railroad company to call. And, by the way, to park the car on the railroad with lights flashing is simply an exercise in stupidity. Simple physics, the coefficient of friction between steel wheel on steel rail is much less than that between rubber tier and concrete or asphalt payment, so the stopping rate of trains is lower than the stopping rate of road vehicles. That is also a significant factor in the difference in fuel consumption per ton-mile between train and truck.

Steve4031 · Monday at 12:57 PM

George Harris said:
Nope. The police dispatcher should not make the call for exactly the comment about the Michigan event. The cop in the car or first responder to whatever is blocking the crossing should look for and find the LITTLE BLUE SIGN on the pole supporting the crossing warning and CALL THAT NUMBER. The sign has all the information needed for the railroad to call trains approaching that crossing. Doing anything else will delay the transfer of information even if they do know which railroad company to call. And, by the way, to park the car on the railroad with lights flashing is simply an exercise in stupidity. Simple physics, the coefficient of friction between steel wheel on steel rail is much less than that between rubber tier and concrete or asphalt payment, so the stopping rate of trains is lower than the stopping rate of road vehicles. That is also a significant factor in the difference in fuel consumption per ton-mile between train and truck.

I agree with you. It was idiotic for the police officer to park his car on the tracks. He should have used the number on the blue sign to notify the railroad to stop the train to protect whatever was he was trying to protect with his police car.

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