Guy M Turner heavy haul hit by Amtrak in NE North Carolina

Derailing AMTRAK is like trying to throat punch the POTUS. The FEDS are going to tear into the personal records of everyone associated and the IRS comes out a winner.

Glad no one was killed.

That's a story to tell the grandkids. "hey johnny, did grandpa ever tell you the story about his encounter with a train?" Heres the video.

WoW! that could of been much worse.

 

Turner used to be a class operation. Somebody should of ran the rte. survey...
Unless some one changed the "no go" to a can do...

Had that happen to me where I used to be at when I had my big trl...
Jammed me up a few times...

 

I got stuck on the tracks once with a D-8L on my 7 axle. I knew I had a 2 hr. window but still took 10 yrs off my life. Unchained & moved it back as close to rear axles as possible in about 1 minute. Expected the rails to slide on the iron but there was a small asphalt crown between the rails. Heart still pounds when I am near tracks & the light come on.....................

 

After an accident near Plant City,FL at a rail crossing involving a lowbed truck I wonder why there is not something like a fire alarm box at the cross so that a driver could "hit the panic button" indicating the crossing was blocked,,heck all gas stations have one to shut off the fuel pumps in an emergency.

 

Rail Road gates have Emergency numbers to call on the post. Direct communication.

Panic Button on a Class 1 railroad would never happen lol. If there was, As a teen, I would have Exhausted that tool for a cry wolf situation lol !

 

Yes, there was a number. and the number was probably called. but I'm sure it rang into the freight train line that owned the tracks, and they would have had to get a hold of Amtrak, the they would have had to get a hold of the crew ... takes time having to move from one entity to another. And yes, having an "eStop" button could be a good thing or a bad thing. But I'm not aware of false calls being made to emergency phone lines but I don't doubt they happen from time to time.

But it looks like they could install some sort of "proximity sensor(s)" that detect a metallic object that is "not moving" over the grade crossing area and send an emergency alert. I mean every drive through in the world has a sensor under the pavement or on a nearby post to detect an automobile, surely they can detect if the object remains stationary for more then 5 seconds.

 

Living very close to a Class 1 Rail Road with Crossing, It's possible to lay down anything metal across the 2 tracks to mess with the signals. Also, This rail crossing requires vehicles to idle on the tracks to activate the traffic lights.

- Source me, been in this house for a very long time, Taking it over when the parents moved.
Lot's of stupid stuff growing up near the rail road. Panic button no doubt would of used it. Young and dumb.


AMTRAK is a second party using others lines. The emergency number wouldn't relay quick enough information they go minimum of 50 mph. Best solution, run from vehicle and watch carnage unfold.

 

Article states trooper requested Amtrak be notified. Likely too many people in communications loop in too short of time.

 

Never had to do it but have always been told the same thing.

 

About not being able to communicate with the RR in time...

It just seems like not enough resources have been devoted to this issue... after all, we put a man on the moon in 1968 yet in 2015 we have no way to communicate with the RR expeditiously, to possibly prevent an accident, in case of an emergency? I'm not buying it.

Seems like a "one call" national center would be able to route the information to the appropriate conductor within minutes if everything were set up for it. No getting out and looking for a phone number on a sign, etc., just quick dial, someone answers, pinpoints your location via gps, gets the message out to the trains within 50 miles of your location.

Seems like this would be possible in 2015.