Maspeth: Slow moving Freight hits Tractor-Trailer 7/8/2015

[Train2009]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/07/08/ ... r-trailer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The power on this train had MP15AC #151 and CIT/CEFX 402 leaser unit as seen on a live report this morning on WCBS this morning.

[rscott417]

Wow, #151 got torched. I guess it was coming from the new WM facility.

[AlKaLI]

151 does look it suffered some damage to the handrails and its front paint job. Hopefully it won't be out of service for too long.

The video doesn't show too much of the consist but the first car did appear to be a COFC car from Waste Management. 1 AM? Is this a new job on the NY&A?

On a different note, that crossing has lights and flashers, how did the truck driver not see those in the dark?

[DogBert]

This would have been coming from WM's new LIC spot (I guess they're already loading cars? I haven't been around to check this last week or two). I've seen NY&A switching around maspeth late at night before though. Really not sure how the driver missed it - there are lights, the train moves slow, and there is pretty good visibility from any direction at that crossing (though to be fair, it's a bit less if you're driving from the south and are crossing all those tracks - gotta keep looking left/right as you go). With a truck, by law he was suppose to stop before the crossing before proceeding.

[SwingMan]

I wouldn't be surprised if they lose this engine. Good amount of frame damage to the front, looks like it's bent upward a little bit.

[jayrmli]

That crossing has been notorious over the years for tractor trailer vs train incidents. However with the line downgraded to 10MPH I'm a little surprised at the amount of damage. I'm not sure but aren't those crossings adjusted to only go down when the train is on the island circuit?

The 151 has been through worse wrecks. It looks like it will be back, but not for a bit.

[dedm30junk]

Do you think enine 151 will be in house repaired or go to Altoona for repairs

[Uncle Cheapo]

They will do it inhouse, just will take a bit. A lot of wiring burnt. That will take the most time, the rest is just cosmetics.

[Backshophoss]

Depending on the amount of damage,most likely a ship out to Altoona for repairs,
New Penn Trucking is a regional LTL carrier,is on the hook for the lights/gate taken out,
Driver might be charged for not stopping before crossing the tracks,unless proven that
the gates came down after he/she started to cross tracks.
151's coupler landed between the fuel tank and battery box on the driver's side
of the tractor. Both the tractor and 28 ft trailer and on board cargo are a total loss

[DogBert]

It's possible the driver stopped at the first track, saw nothing, and kept going. There's what, 4 tracks going across maspeth ave, spread out quite a bit?

It's a confusing corner. I'm sure NYC DOT will aim to make it more confusing sooner or later, maybe with traffic lights, a bike lane and pedestrian islands.

Can't imagine 151 won't be fixed. Similar damage to the LIRR runaway MP a few years back, which I'm pretty sure was fixed up by LIRR.

[NIMBYkiller]

I know it's been years since I posted on the NYA page, so I almost feel like I'm trolling here by linking this....but when you're wrong, you're wrong Warning lights didn't even come on until the truck was already entering the crossing, and you can see the pivot point of the gate arms don't even begin to move until after impact. I'll keep my mouth shut on my perception of train speed and wait for the actual report (if it's ever shared). Hate to say it, but it looks like the truck isn't the primary one at fault here. That being said, I know buses have to stop at the crossing, but do trucks have to also? If that's the case, I'm seeing a lot of truckers breaking the law when I stop. Whose responsibility is that crossing, NYA or LIRR? (Sorry, it's been a while and I'm fuzzy on the details on LIRR vacating the lower montauk)

http://7online.com/news/eyewitness-news ... nt/838258/

Sorry again to be the bearer of bad news guys

[SwingMan]

What's weird is a train at 10mph should be able to recognize that the gates aren't down from quite a few yards away. It doesn't seem like the train was slowing until right before coming across the crossing. Which crossing was it?

[jayrmli]

I'm pretty sure that all of the crossing circuitry was changed on the Lower Montauk after the line was downgraded to 10MPH and the signals taken out of service. Gates now only become activated on an island circuit close to the crossing, and the train is supposed to approach the crossings prepared to stop and not proceed until the gates are in the horizontal position.

That being said, and seeing the video, you can be the judge to see what happened.

[DogBert]

Nimby- facts are facts, no getting around them. The video isn't great for judging train speed (seems fast, but is the video sped up? Never trust the news, and filco was once a customer, who knows if there's an axe to grind - always question the source). What looks clear is the protection not working until it was far too late. Even if the train was going 10mph, that gate still looks way, way too slow to go off - and maintaining them is the MTA's domain.

No idea how many cars they had but I'd imagine those trash cars are pretty heavy, and this is a 'new' move, so I'm not surprised an engineer might be a little heavy on the throttle.

If the crossing is such a huge safety hazard, just close the damned thing. That will really gum up all the other crossings, but with all the sidings it's really the only option. Either that or the city can blow a few million on a road tunnel.

I wonder if CURES is advocating re-routing this trash move and all freight through HAROLD again? I'll give it a few more days if they haven't done so already.

[Head-end View]

Nimby is correct. Watch the video tape. The signal-lights do not start to flash until the truck is already on the crossing. With that fact alone and when a gate doesn't even start downward until the train is on the crossing, the railroad is obviously at fault in one way or another. Either equipment malfunction, or somebody didn't follow the rules........... Then later in the report you see a train go thru the crossing with NO activation of the crossing protection. I can't believe what I'm seeing, but the video doesn't lie.