Train derails after striking oversize load

That is a petro-chem pressure vessel.

 

When I first saw this video, I thought it was just a new version of another video from Texas only a couple of years ago, where an oversize load (windmill arm, in that one) had to make a turn in a small Texas town and clear a railroad track with a police and private escort. In THAT case the escorts also failed, not clearing enough highway for the truck to make his turn then drive forward far enough for his long load to clear.

This video, though, looks even worse. Whoever planned this route was responsible for making certain his rig could clear the tracks, but apparently did not. Furthermore, nobody called UP? You know, by federal law, the phone number to call is posted on the equipment at EVERY_RAIL_CROSSING_IN_THE_COUNTRY. Between the escort service and the police, there should've been multiple calls made. Heck, the escort company driver should have a folder with EVERY railroad's emergency number. What WERE they doing for an entire hour? Standing around with their thumbs up their [**censored**]s?????

What really frosts my mug here is that the news media will spin this as a story about another incompetent trucker. I'm not even sure how much input this driver even had in this fiasco, but I can say for certainty that there is blood on the hands of the escort company, the police force involved, and whomever failed to do their due diligence on choosing this route. Shame on you all.

 

The trucker is ultimately responsible for the load.

 

When getting a permit is min/max ground clearance something they ask for?

 

Not that I have seen, but maybe that comes up with extremely long loads.

 

Loads like this one should be/are planned days if not weeks in advance with communication with the railroad.. A travel window would be provided by the RR and that section of line would be on a red light for any train. Either the trucking co didnt contact the RR, or the RR screwed up.. The truth will come out. Also one thing I noticed first, The truck didn't look like the type that would be pulling a load like this. JMO of course.

 

This is a street view of the tracks looking towards the direction the train was coming from


This is from the opposite direction

 

If I remember the only state I have ever seen that when filing permits was Colorado, I think? I could be remembering wrong but I do remember one of the western states making me enter what my loaded ground clearance was when filing online

 

I’m pretty sure tx asks about ground clearance. But that was not the issue here. The trailer never grounded out, the suspension didn’t have enough travel and started lifting the weight off the drives.

as for calling the railroad before crossing, I’ve heard many people say that the railroad will just tell you they don’t give that info out. Maybe @idriveaholden, @Rontonio, or @Razororange can share their experiences with calling the railroad. I’ve never had to.