Tractor Trailer collides with AMTRAK in Nevada

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/drivers-engineer-watched-amtrak-crash-unfold-095615847.html

Updated with new info

 

Yeah.

I know who which outfit these people are from and completely retract all my other statements.

I've seen these three trucks and people before, and can say I'm not surprised.

 

The article I read said there was skid marks the length of a football field before going through the barrier.

 

http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_18356173

 

Just saw this:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/27/BA461K37NM.DTL&tsp=1
The guy sure didn't have a driving record to be proud of.
Sorry if this is a duplicate post.

 

its easy to accumulate 3 speeding tickets in a 3 year period,i wouldnt say its outside the norm.. w/ all of the speed traps, not knowing the area youll be driving in and the amount of miles driven etc etc..

the part that stuck out to me was the fact that they say in the article that the road and railroad track meet at a 45 degree angle,which in simpler terms means that he might not of seen the train until it was crossing in front of him..

 

I see not only that trucking company getting sued, but the state of Nevada dept of motor vehicles for negligence. 6 tkts in 2 yrs and no license suspension or revocation ?? Not only is that negligence,but gross negligence.

 

The train was going 78 mph in an 80 zone.

 

Not know the area? You're kidding right?

Those guys run a regular route everyday....Battle Mountain down to just south of Walker Lake and back, with another "short" haul from BM to a mine location 85 miles south and east of BM. In either of those trips, there are no "speed traps" and when loaded they are 105k...70 is plenty enough!

If you want to believe the "well written" article fine go right ahead....but the fact is that the tracks cross the highway at a 45 degree angle. You can see the train coming either direction, no matter which direction you are going. You can watch the train passing around the rest area/junction of 95/I-80....but you can't see the crossing from the rest area....the crossing is in a slight dip from the sight of the junction of the two highways.

From the reports I've read, it sounds like the driver was attempting to beat the train to the crossing.....but why??? The AMTRAK is only 8 cars long, at 75+ mph...seconds to clear the crossing.

 

3 of the speeding tickets were under a year's time, all in Cali, in a school bus. Sounds like the guy had a bunch of infractions. Of course, the media is out to crucify both the company and the driver and they both are making easy targets.