Well at least so far, they fared better than the firemen in the 1989, fire truck collision with Amtrak’s Crescent in Catlett, Virginia, resulting in injuries and deaths of two firefighters, and serious injuries of three others in that truck (one of which is believed to have succumbed to injuries). The two locomotives and 11 of 16 cars derailed, indeed a very expensive outcome, let alone with litigation.
It had been reported that the fire crew had taken a wrong turn from incomplete or sketchy directions, and had returned to the previously approached crossing, and had focused more on locating the target site with time already lost, while failing to be vigilant for the approaching train.
