Empire Builder #8 struck vehicle 11/10/21

[Aegis]

I am on #8 approx. 30 min from Milwaukee and we just struck a vehicle at River Valley Rd. Train made emergency stop, We don’t know status of vehicle or occupants . No injuries on train as far as I know..

 

[Aegis]

Update. Amazon vehicle non injury. Rear part of vehicle is stuck on engine. Crew is en route to remove it..

 

[WWW]

Happened about 1:25 pm - still - an hour later stuck at/near
River Valley Road is rural road with only Crossbuck signage

Google Maps

Guess Amazon is now expecting Amtrak to do its deliveries

At least nobody hurt and it wasn't a derailing semi-truck !

 

[Aegis]

I’m in car 830 towards front…

 

[Cal]

Is it too late to be considered part of the whack-a-vehicle party?

On a different note, glad that there’s no injuries.

 

[Aegis]

You people in the rear put your masks on.. conductor lady is not happy with you…

 

[me_little_me]

Amazon has deep pockets. Amtrak should ask for a billion or so for the damage to "its whole train" plus another billion for the employees' "shock" and being "traumatized. Then there are all the passengers who can each claim "emotional distress". That ought to be worth $50M each!

Come to think of it, I think I was on that train! The pain from the whiplash is really bad.

 

[Qapla]

As open as that crossing is, there is no reason not to see the train coming. Also, a delivery driver should be aware of the tracks in his route and "stop, look, listen"

 

[OBS]

View attachment 25422

As open as that crossing is, there is no reason not to see the train coming. Also, a delivery driver should be aware of the tracks in his route and "stop, look, listen"

Not to mention, there is a stop sign at the crossing.....

 

[WWW]

#8 cleared to move 5:01 pm
Something about that train #8 rarely being ontime

And to boot train #7 affected a half hour wait - - -
Single track at this location

 

[Steve4031]

8 is usually on time when I ride it. Bad luck on this trip.

 

[joelkfla]

View attachment 25422

As open as that crossing is, there is no reason not to see the train coming. Also, a delivery driver should be aware of the tracks in his route and "stop, look, listen"

It was an Amazon driver. They were probably looking at their phone trying to find their next stop.

 

[Willbridge]

Probably thought it was still only tri-weekly.

 

[basketmaker]

It was an Amazon driver. They were probably looking at their phone trying to find their next stop.

Nah just lookin for 123 Main instead of 321 Main like the 4 of my last 10 deliveries.

 

[Trollopian]

Amazon has deep pockets. Amtrak should ask for a billion or so for the damage to "its whole train" plus another billion for the employees' "shock" and being "traumatized. Then there are all the passengers who can each claim "emotional distress". That ought to be worth $50M each!

Come to think of it, I think I was on that train! The pain from the whiplash is really bad.

Did the impact also cause you to spill hot coffee on your lap? That should be worth another few tens of millions.

 

[me_little_me]

Did the impact also cause you to spill hot coffee on your lap? That should be worth another few tens of millions.

No, just a cookie. My lawyer said I could only claim $1 more and with his 1/3, I'd only get $0.67. I've been spending a lot of time with my financial advisor but I think the effort would not be worth the ROI. On the other hand, I did (purposely) dump my hot coffee on some loudmouth next to me and told him it was because of the accident. He almost hit me then I told him how much he could get from Amazon and he ended up thanking me for doing it.

 

[JoeBas]

As open as that crossing is, there is no reason not to see the train coming. Also, a delivery driver should be aware of the tracks in his route and "stop, look, listen"

Note OP in post 2 said "non-injury", which is usually indicative of a disabled vehicle.

 

[Gary Behling]

View attachment 25422

As open as that crossing is, there is no reason not to see the train coming. Also, a delivery driver should be aware of the tracks in his route and "stop, look, listen"

These delivery companies push their employees WAY too hard to deliver their packages too quickly so that the companies can reduce the number of drivers and save money. I'm sure Amazon doesn't give any thought as to what can result when employees are forced to rush in order to save their jobs.

 

[Qapla]

If that is the case - the headline should read "Disabled vehicle left on tracks in path of passenger train" instead of "Amtrak hits delivery vehicle"

 

[acelafan]

#8 cleared to move 5:01 pm
Something about that train #8 rarely being ontime

And to boot train #7 affected a half hour wait - - -
Single track at this location

Yup, I am on the #7 that got delayed by that mess yesterday. Not much left of the Amazon vehicle as we passed by. And a wide open view at that crossing so someone wasn't paying attention or had some other kind of issue.

 

[mwmnp]

https://www.wisn.com/article/amazon-delivery-driver-struck-by-amtrak-train-survived/38239454
He was coming back from just making a delivery at the house whose driveway parallels the south side of the tracks.

https://goo.gl/maps/XVm87E7tnSNE2KyS9

 

[me_little_me]

From the article:

Evans said he feels something more needs to be done to alert drivers of oncoming trains.

Evans, you mean learning to STOP, LOOK, LISTEN before you cross the track?

Many people learn their lesson while explaining to St. Peter what they are doing there. You and your family are very lucky. Hope you learned how to drive and what to do when you see crossbucks and one or more pairs of metal rails.

I hope you're not the driver that failed to look over his left shoulder when he suddenly moved into my lane when I was almost at his rear wheels in the lane to the left of him.

 

[Qapla]

From the article:

He traced his route in red on a map, showing how the road parallels the track before the crossing, limiting a driver's view of the tracks.
"I just tried. I made a look as I was going down the hill to swerve, and I didn't see anything. He was on my left side," Evans said.
Evans said he's deaf in his left ear and didn't hear the horn at first.

"Literally, it was like one long beep, horn from the train, and I put my foot on the gas, kind of like trying. I don't know how far I'm going to get away from him," Evans said.

There are no signals, lights or warning sounds at that crossing.
Evans said he feels something more needs to be done to alert drivers of oncoming trains.

Evidently, we was coming from this house


This is a look down the drive from the road


However, a look at the crossing reveals this


It really doesn't matter if he heard or saw the train as he came down the drive - There is a STOP sign at the crossing! If he had stopped for the sign, he would not have been hit by the train!

 

[me_little_me]

In his defense about that Stop sign, looking at it makes it appear that traffic coming straight towards the track must stop but those coming along his road don't need to because the turn appears to be too close to the sign because it is direcrly facing the other road. However, that issue is negated by the fact the stopping at any RR crossing is essential especially if you find it difficult to look over your left shoulder or can't fully hear trains coming from behind you.

 

[WWW]

In his defense about that Stop sign, looking at it makes it appear that traffic coming straight towards the track must stop but those coming along his road don't need to because the turn appears to be too close to the sign because it is direcrly facing the other road. However, that issue is negated by the fact the stopping at any RR crossing is essential especially if you find it difficult to look over your left shoulder or can't fully hear trains coming from behind you.

And then that Train HORN thing - what about the alternating flashing bumper lights - - -
You see lights on the tracks coming or going - YOU STOP and find out what is going on before crossing !
Delivery driver maybe deaf in one ear - but is certainly not blind -
On that parallel road should have seen the lights in the rear view mirror and those Amazon trucks do have mirrors -

Who pays for all the delays and screwed scheduling of CP freight trains and subsequent train # 7 to boot ?
This is no clear the wreckage file the paper reports and move on - Amazon you got coverage --- insurance ???