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Post by kiev4a on Sept 25, 2006 19:38:00 GMT -5
Shot today about a block from my office. When a resident stalled his car on the tracks, he jumped clear just before the car was struck by an eastbound UPRR freight train. The train knocked the car into the crossing light and arm. Amazingly, the lights continued to work! The man just walking into view in the second photo is the car driver. Nikon F4, Kiron 80-200 f4 zoom, Kodak Gold 200 film.   |
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Post by kiev4a on Sept 26, 2006 8:59:23 GMT -5
bump
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Post by greyhoundman on Sept 26, 2006 9:42:08 GMT -5
Great shots. The guy probably had to go change his shorts.  They'll probably charge him for damaging the lights. |
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Sept 26, 2006 9:59:03 GMT -5
Cool Wayne,
Guess it pays to always carry your camera with you huh? Any idea what type car this USED to be?
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Post by kiev4a on Sept 26, 2006 11:40:28 GMT -5
Cool Wayne, Guess it pays to always carry your camera with you huh? Any idea what type car this USED to be? Nope. Didn't look real close but the locomotove ruined the rearend and the light pole ruined the front. I don't think it was much of a car which is probably why it was stalled on the track in the first place. I guess the guy got out and tried to get the train to stop! A number of years ago a guy in a wheelchair decided to end it all near this same spot and parked himself on the tracks. He derailed the locomotives and about 15 cars! Go figure. |
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mickeyobe
Lifetime Member
Resident President
Posts: 7,280
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Post by mickeyobe on Sept 26, 2006 15:07:28 GMT -5
In the Toronto area there are very few, if any, level crossings any more.
The railways found it virtually impossible to protect fools from themselves.
Those accidents wreaked havoc with their schedules.
Mickey
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Post by John Parry on Sept 26, 2006 15:16:30 GMT -5
Unfortunately, we had a similar incident. Train was de-railed (but nobody hurt (thank goodness), but the car driver didn't make it out in time.
Mickey, they keep asking why they don't do away with unmanned crossings over here - but there are thousands of them...
Regards - John
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Post by kiev4a on Sept 26, 2006 16:49:13 GMT -5
In our area the RR main line runs right through the middle of the populated area and most of the crossings were level. In the past 15 years, however, the population in the area has increased about 10 fold. When a slow moving freight takes 10 minutes to clear a crossing it can back traffic up several miles during rush hour. Now they are building overpasses at the most congested points but there still are hundreds of level crossing, manyof which are only protected by stop signs.
I am acquainted with several railroad engineers. They all are convinced that at least 80 percent of crossing fatalities aren't "accidents." They say they see drivers calmly sitting in their vehicles watching the train approach, making no effort to get out.
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Post by Randy on Sept 26, 2006 19:15:13 GMT -5
That's really something Wayne. I was with a friend in 1970 just after he bought a new 1970 Olds 442. He crossed an elevated crossing and his exhaust hang up on the tracks. We watched a brand new Olds 442 with only 16 miles on it get totaled. It was the first time I ever saw a grown man cry...he didn't have the insurance on it yet!
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Post by kamera on Sept 26, 2006 19:29:27 GMT -5
I lost my first parents-in-law to a car/train accident in Kennewick, WA. At the time there were a lot of country crossings that were not protected by lights and the tracks were elevated. Plus no one maintained the foliage around the crossing. It happened at night and my father-in-law who was driving was in his 70's and plain did not just see(apparently) the headlight of the oncoming train.
But to echo another's point of view...I, too, have heard of alleged suicides by train as well as by police action.
Ron Head
Kalamazoo, MI
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Post by kiev4a on Sept 27, 2006 8:38:57 GMT -5
My 16-year-old neice was killed in 1972 when the VW she was driving was struck by a train on the outskirts of Sumner, Washington. She was crossing the tracks to a friend's house--no stop sign at the crossing. The crossing was later eliminated. Not a mark on my neice. The concussion killed her.
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Post by kamera on Sept 27, 2006 15:45:11 GMT -5
Wayne,
It was in 1971 my inlaws were killed. After my wife and I devorced, she moved back to Washington and started a campaign to either eliminate such lousy crossings or have them properly lighted, gated and maintained.
Unfortunately, I understand a lot of the country, backwoods crossings have not improved at all out there.
Ron Head
Kalamazoo, MI
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