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  • Film crew struck by CSX train in Wayne County, Ga.

  • Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.
Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.

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 #1252196  by MaineCoonCat
 
[quote="On Feb 20, 2014 In an article entitled "Train Accident Kills Crew Member of Gregg Allman Biopic", Ted Johnson, Senior Editor of the Variety staff"]

Director and crew were filming dream sequence on bridge in Georgia

A second camera assistant was killed Thursday afternoon when a freight train struck and killed her on the set of the Gregg Allman biopic “Midnight Rider,” sources confirm to Variety.

Four other people were injured in the accident, one seriously. The event happened in Wayne County, Ga.

An eyewitness told Variety the movie crew was filming a dream sequence on a railroad trestle when a train unexpectedly crossed the bridge.

The crew, including director Randall Miller, had placed a bed on the tracks for the scene and was expecting two trains on the local bridge, one in each direction, when a third train arrived unexpectedly.

A whistle warned the crew members of the next train, giving them less than a minute, which was too late.

Miller, who also directed the 2008 film “Bottle Shock,” and the still photographer rushed to get the bed off the tracks while the rest of the crew tried to get off the bridge on a plank walk-way. They were still trying to get off the bridge when the train arrived.The second camera assistant was then struck and killed by the train.[/quote]
Read more at Variety's web site
 #1252201  by MaineCoonCat
 
UPDATE:

[quote="At 03:55PM PT on February 21, 2014 In an article entitled "Investigator: ‘Midnight Rider’ Crew Wasn’t Supposed to Be on Tracks", Ted Johnson, Senior Editor of the Variety staff"]

27 year-old camera assistant was killed Thursday on set of Gregg Allman feature.

The crew of Gregg Allman biopic “Midnight Rider” was working on train tracks without permission from the railroad in Wayne County, Ga. when a train crashed into the production team, killing one and injuring seven others, an investigator said Friday.

The tracks, owned by CSX Railroad, cross private land owned by forest-products company Rayonier, which has a nearby paper mill. Joe Gardner, the lead detective on the case, said the crew had Rayonier’s permission to film on its property next to the train tracks.

“CSX has told me they were aware they were out there, but they did not have permission to be on the train tracks,” Gardner told reporters.

An eyewitness told Variety the Open Road Films drama was in its first day of shooting Thursday afternoon and the crew was filming a dream sequence on a railroad trestle when a train unexpectedly crossed the bridge.[/quote]

Read more at Variety's web site
 #1252426  by MaineCoonCat
 
I looked this up on Google Earth. It happened in a place called "Doctortown", just a little ways northeast of Jesup. Looks to me like the track is straight for at least two miles to the northeast and much further to the southwest. Oh well,it's up to the lawyers now.. My sympathies to the train crew and the emergency responders. I'm sure whomever was in charge of the film crew probably will never get another peaceful night's sleep as long as they live.

Image
 #1252465  by Greg Moore
 
Correct me here if I'm wrong, but I find it hard to believe that CSX would simply warn the film crew about the possibility of a third train.

I'd imagine CSX would want someone ON SITE, in communication with dispatch.

So it seems to me that whoever talked to the press was lied to or lying.

But perhaps I'm wrong on procedures?
 #1252479  by ctclark1
 
the crew had Rayonier’s permission to film on its property next to the train tracks <snip> but they did not have permission to be on the train tracks
Even if CSX was aware they were going to be on private property near the tracks, why would they have used up manpower to send a rep out if the film crew didn't have permission to be on the tracks at all? Is it bad that people were injured and killed? yes. Do they have a leg to stand on? no. (sorry, that cliche may be in poor taste)
Quite simply, they were trespassing on RR property. And on a bridge, no less. I have to wonder if the accident hadn't happened (ie, the film crew successfully filmed their scenes without incident) would CSX have taken legal action after the movie was released had it been brought to their attention that a portion of the film was in fact on their bridge without their permission, if nothing else to try to send a message that it isn't ok for filmmakers to trespass no matter what studio is backing them and no matter how big of an artist they are biopic-ing...
 #1252503  by Gadfly
 
RussNelson wrote:Trains don't "unexpectedly" cross bridges. Any track, any train, any time.
I noted that , too. You'd think that people would think, "Hmmm, this is a train track. It was put there so trains could come thru here. Ergo, it is possible that a train might show up :(" . Me, I'm 'skeered' of train tracks. Spent years on the RR being 'skeered' of 'em.

Now, the lawyers will want to make it seem like that train smelled someone out there, and quickly rushed to the scene so as to run over the victim(s). Why, it wanted to be in the movies!~ NOT!

Never was something so important as that "any track, anytime, any direction, expect movement". Such a pity that the general public doesn't see it that way.

GF
 #1252543  by Watchman318
 
Greg Moore wrote:Correct me here if I'm wrong, but I find it hard to believe that CSX would simply warn the film crew about the possibility of a third train.
I'd imagine CSX would want someone ON SITE, in communication with dispatch.
But perhaps I'm wrong on procedures?
I think it will turn out that nobody from the film crew bothered to contact CSX.
A couple of years ago, I took the online course that CSX has for emergency responders, in which they say that the area 30 feet outside a rail can be a danger zone. (Before then, I'd always heard it--and taught it--as being 15 feet.) Based on that alone, I think if CSX had known anyone was going to be on or around their track, they'd have insisted on those people being protected against the movement of on-track equipment, if they allowed them to be there at all.

The Roadway Worker Protection regulations (49 CFR 214.C) don't include contractors not working for the railroad, so sometimes a tree crew trimming branches for the power company would end up in foul of the track. The power company and the tree services have gotten better about that, and luckily nobody got hit before they wised up. I just read something from an AREMA presentation in 2011 that said surveyors were another problem, with a fatality every couple of years, and many near-misses.

John and Jane Public need to learn "Stay off, stay away, and stay alive." Unfortunately, "common sense" is not common. :-(
 #1252545  by Freddy
 
When I was in Roadway with CSX, before becoming a signal maintainer, I'd be assigned flagging jobs from time to time and it's a lengthy process for the people involved. A minimum of
so much in liability insurance, approved safety equipment etc. etc. Also copies of all that paperwork is/was required to be immediately accessible in case something happened or you
were challenged by a superior/supervisor to produce it along with proof of the type of train detection/protection you were using. Since they were out on a bridge they would have been
required to wear fall protection. My guess is they probably got their train information from a Rayonier security guard.
 #1252609  by mmi16
 
You don't get track occupancy on CSX without a authorized employee obtaining a form EC-1 from the Train Dispatcher and all the protection that is necessary for the Train Dispatcher to issue the EC-1.
 #1252857  by MaineCoonCat
 
I'm certain that CSX has a written set of rules (policies and procedures?) governing granting access to their property by film crews etc. I've seen some back and forth speculation in comments on a couple of supposedly "film industry oriented" web sites over who had permission for what from whom.
 #1252888  by MaineCoonCat
 
Without comment..

[quote="At 6:44 PM EST on Feb 24, 2014 In an article entitled "Midnight Rider' delayed until further notice", Don Logana of the WTOC staff"]

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) -

There are new developments in the film about rock star Gregg Allman.

Production of 'Midnight Rider' has been delayed until further notice. That's the word from the Savannah Film Office following last week's tragic train crash involving film crew members.

The 24 day shoot was scheduled to begin today in Savannah, but requests for permits were withdrawn.

The film office said no permits are pending at this time for the production.

However, the producers are hoping to resume filming.

Neither Meddin Studios nor production company Unclaimed Freight returned phone calls today for comment.

Gregg Allman released a statement on Facebook over the weekend.

"I am so terribly saddened by the news of the tragedy that took the young life of Sarah Elizabeth Jones on the film set," Allman wrote. "My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends and colleagues during this time of mourning."[/quote]

Read more at WTOC's web site
 #1252905  by Backshophoss
 
Earlier today on the WBBM stream,this "BioPic" is/was due out in 2015,figure on this
project getting shelved for a couple of years while the lawyer/sharks are at work.
This will become a 3 way circus between the paper plant involved,CSX,and the production Co at the least.

IN any paper plant,it's a given that something is always on the move,Rail cars,forklifts,wood handling machines
whatever. This plant's safety guy is on the hook,as is the production Co.
The Question will become,was CSX notified to NOT switch that track??
and any documentation to prove that notice was given??