Railroad crossing accidents

[MIrailfan]

How do we reduce them? discuss.

 

[Qapla]

Make all barricades block all lanes on both side of a crossing - do not give the ability to "swerve around them" to "beat the train" ... also, aggressively ticket those who don't obey the train crossing laws that have been in effect longer than most drivers have been alive instead of always blaming the trains when a car gets hit

 

[TrackWalker]

I vividly recall years ago an editortial cartoon of a car waiting at a crossing with a train almost in the crossing.

The gates were down. Crossing lights flashing. Train horn sounding. There were barricades and barbed wire wrapped around the gates. Klieg lights shining on the car. Snarling German Shepard dogs loosely held by tight leashes. A machine gun was pointed at the car.

The man in the car was thinking, “There must be some way to get across.”

 

[SarahZ]

instead of always blaming the trains when a car gets hit

I have yet to see a news article that blames the train.

 

[jiml]

I have yet to see a news article that blames the train.

In fairness, some have come pretty close. The media usually sides with the "poor victim" as if the train suddenly leapt from the tracks to hit the vehicle. The headlines seldom say "Idiot Killed While Trying To Beat Train", usually more like "Train Strikes Car..." and the public draws their own conclusions.

 

[AFS1970]

We have a branch line on the commuter rail in my city that has some interesting grade crossings. Once of the stations, the train sticks into the intersection when stopped in the station. The crossings not only have the usual arms that come down, but has shorter arms that come down across the sidewalks. A few months ago they installed stanchions to keep cars from parking too close to the crossings.

Now on the same line, just north of that station, are a couple of grade crossings with private driveways. The big office park has the usual arms/lights/bells, but there are a couple of residential driveways with no protection other than the train horns. A few years ago a couple was hit and killed driving out of their driveway. At the time it was publicized that it was the responsibility of the property owner to put in the gates. I can't see how that works as the railroad maintains them & even sends railroad police to direct traffic if the arms are not working at the other crossings.

 

[Qapla]

Thank You @jiml

I have made that point before. The headlines usually always say the train hit the car (I know, it did) but the order of the wording and the sensationalism of the headlines tend to lean toward the train being the culprit - not the idiot that drove in font of a train while the gates were down and the light were flashing

 

[Qapla]

A few years ago a couple was hit and killed driving out of their driveway. At the time it was publicized that it was the responsibility of the property owner to put in the gates. I can't see how that works as the railroad maintains them & even sends railroad police to direct traffic if the arms are not working at the other crossings.

It is true that a crossing on "private property" is not required to have gates or lights - with that in mind, when is the last time you saw a private driveway that has a STOP sign to remind the homeowner not to pull out in traffic before making sure there is space for them?

Should the City, County, State provide and maintain stop signs on every home's driveways? If someone has a RR crossing on their private driveway they should know it is there and use the same caution they use when they get to the road before they pull out in traffic

 

[MIrailfan]

"The Train always has the right of way. " fAMOUs and true quote.

 

[TrackWalker]

It is true that a crossing on "private property" is not required to have gates or lights - with that in mind, when is the last time you saw a private driveway that has a STOP sign to remind the homeowner not to pull out in traffic before making sure there is space for them?

Should the City, County, State provide and maintain stop signs on every home's driveways? If someone has a RR crossing on their private driveway they should know it is there and use the same caution they use when they get to the road before they pull out in traffic

Every private crossing (which includes driveways) is required to have the proper signage including a STOP sign, the private RR sign and the small blue sign with the 800 emergency number with the individual DOT crossing number for it. There was a big push for this in 2016 by the FRA requiring photo proof it was completed at every private crossing.

As an FYI there is in the FRA website an inventory of every railway crossing (both public and private) and its location and number in the US.

And trains are not required to blow their horns at private crossings. (there may be some exceptions)

 

[Cal]

And trains are not required to blow their horns at private crossings. (there may be some exceptions)

Well that needs to be changed.

 

[railiner]

"The Train always has the right of way. " fAMOUs and true quote.

Except at a movable bridge over a navigable waterway...marine traffic has the right of way...goes back to "who was there first"

 

[railiner]

It is true that a crossing on "private property" is not required to have gates or lights - with that in mind, when is the last time you saw a private driveway that has a STOP sign to remind the homeowner not to pull out in traffic before making sure there is space for them?

Should the City, County, State provide and maintain stop signs on every home's driveways? If someone has a RR crossing on their private driveway they should know it is there and use the same caution they use when they get to the road before they pull out in traffic

Well that would depend on what you might call "private property". Commercial property, as in a shopping mall, is private, as opposed to publicly owned, but the government does provide traffic control devices for exits from such. Not sure if the mall owner has to finance those, or not....

 

[Qapla]

Well that would depend on what you might call "private property".

Since I was referencing this comment

A few years ago a couple was hit and killed driving out of their driveway.

The comment was directed to "home owner private property" - not commercial property with businesses on them.

 

[Dakota 400]

The oddest railroad crossing accident in my community was at a spur off the main line that was used to move rail cars to a factory. A small, short street with crossing gates and lights and there is nothing to obstruct one's view of a train coming from either direction. Somehow, while an engine was crossing that short road, a driver managed to run his/her (don't remember which) car into the side of the engine. The driver was killed.

 

[Cal]

The oddest railroad crossing accident in my community was at a spur off the main line that was used to move rail cars to a factory. A small, short street with crossing gates and lights and there is nothing to obstruct one's view of a train coming from either direction. Somehow, while an engine was crossing that short road, a driver managed to run his/her (don't remember which) car into the side of the engine. The driver was killed.

No words.

 

[PeeweeTM]

Well that needs to be changed.

No.
In the Netherlands and Germany I don't need to make noise to savely pass a rail/road crossing. Many Americans came from the Netherlands and Germany. I've never seen evidence that evolution made Americans relatively visually or intellectually impaired. It can and needs to be solved at the driver side.
You don't blow your car horn when entering a road/road crossing with green traffic lights, right?

 

[Cal]

You don't blow your car horn when entering a road/road crossing with green traffic lights, right?

Well using that logic means trains will never need to blow their horn.

How do you suggest the problem be fixed?

 

[PeeweeTM]

I'm not sure there's a problem with the railroad side of the crossing that needs fixing.
As a car driver I'd stop, look and listen. After I'm sure no train is dangerously close, I'd cross the tracks.
If that doesn't work, a technical warning system for car drivers paid by the owner or closing the crossing for cars might be the way to go.
But I'd rather see car drivers pitch solutions on their side of the process.

 

[Qapla]

How do you suggest the problem be fixed?

By the drivers of cars not trying to "beat the train" and watching where they are going.

We have a college here. They are talking about changing one of the major roads past the college thus impairing the travel of the cars to "reduce pedestrian incidents". Most of the solutions being discussed are all aimed at the cars instead of just telling the college students to watch where they are going instead of staring at their electronic devices and/or crossing anywhere they please without even looking at the traffic. They cross in the middle of blocks and "against the light" frequently - then blame the cars if someone gets hit.

It is the same way with train crossings. The crossing can have lights flashing and cross-arms down and the train can he blowing away on the horn - yet, when a driver goes around the gates and gets hit the headline reads "Train hits car" ... not "Car tries to beat train" or "Car drives in front of train" and people say "something needs to be done about the trains" - why not do what we were taught when I first learned to drive "Stop - Look - Listen"

 

[Cal]

By the drivers of cars not trying to "beat the train" and watching where they are going.

We have a college here. They are talking about changing one of the major roads past the college thus impairing the travel of the cars to "reduce pedestrian incidents". Most of the solutions being discussed are all aimed at the cars instead of just telling the college students to watch where they are going instead of staring at their electronic devices and/or crossing anywhere they please without even looking at the traffic. They cross in the middle of blocks and "against the light" frequently - then blame the cars if someone gets hit.

It is the same way with train crossings. The crossing can have lights flashing and cross-arms down and the train can he blowing away on the horn - yet, when a driver goes around the gates and gets hit the headline reads "Train hits car" ... not "Car tries to beat train" or "Car drives in front of train" and people say "something needs to be done about the trains" - why not do what we were taught when I first learned to drive "Stop - Look - Listen"

Yes, I see your point. But hasn't that always been the lesson, yet people still do it...

It should be enforced more harshly

 

[PeeweeTM]

1. When I'm driving a train, I know any error or misjudgement I make can result in death, wounded people, damages and/or an investigation. And I could loose my permit.
And I don't want any of the above.

2. Before starting my education I was tested and certificated medically and psycologically. Those exams are repeated every couple of years. If I fail these exams, I lose my permit.

3. At least once a year my manager rides a shift with me to make sure I can still apply all rules correctly. If I fail, it's training and re-test.

4. I have to take and pass yearly theory tests about infrastructure and locomotives. If I fail, it's training and re-test.

Etc.

I'm sure the above would help, if applied to car drivers, too.

Anyway, I think handing out a driver's licence should not be taken lightly by the gouvernement.
Holding the privilege to drive a car should not be taken lightly by the holder of the driver's licence.
Only canceling a licence should be taken more lightly by police and judge.

 

[railiner]

One thing I think may help somewhat, is to add a “street” traffic light to grade crossings.
I think that the fact that it’s a highway installed and maintained apparatus may carry more “clout” with some drivers, than the flashing lights on the crossbuck poles, installed and maintained by the railroads. It should not be that way, but unfortunately, I perceive that it is.

There are some crossings that do have that, that are interlocked to work together...I wonder if the stats on accidents at those crossings would support my theory, or not?

 

[me_little_me]

I've previously suggested an inexpensive help - cameras that activate (and locally store information) when the lights are activated and a vehicle or pedestrian is detected in the zone. The police can then decide to look at the data if there are a lot of incidents and start sending out warning letters and/or tickets to offenders.

 

[Barb Stout]

1. When I'm driving a train, I know any error or misjudgement I make can result in death, wounded people, damages and/or an investigation. And I could loose my permit.
And I don't want any of the above.

2. Before starting my education I was tested and certificated medically and psycologically. Those exams are repeated every couple of years. If I fail these exams, I lose my permit.

3. At least once a year my manager rides a shift with me to make sure I can still apply all rules correctly. If I fail, it's training and re-test.

4. I have to take and pass yearly theory tests about infrastructure and locomotives. If I fail, it's training and re-test.

Etc.

I'm sure the above would help, if applied to car drivers, too.

Anyway, I think handing out a driver's licence should not be taken lightly by the gouvernement.
Holding the privilege to drive a car should not be taken lightly by the holder of the driver's licence.
Only canceling a licence should be taken more lightly by police and judge.

I am wondering if there is a way for an employee on the train to take a picture or jot down the license plate number of a vehicle that is being naughty on the railroad tracks such that it can be "tracked" and sent a citation even if no harm ends up being done. Perhaps this is already in practice, but I don't know about it because ever since my shoe got caught between some railroad ties when a train was coming, I have been exceedingly subservient to trains.