Railroad Forums 

  • Cape Code Central collision kills one, another injured.

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

Moderators: MEC407, NHN503

 #25941  by CSX Conductor
 
Cape Cod Central railroad collided with a car in Barnstable this afternoon on it's return from the Cape Cod Canal back toward the Hyannis Depot. The train dragged the car more than 300 feet down the tracks, killing the cars elderly passenger, and leaving the driver of the car in the hospital.......The driver will be charged with failure to yield to a railway crossing, driving to endanger and possibly vehiclular manslaughter. (The passenger was her mother.)

Witnesses stated that all warning devices at the crossing were functioning properly, and that the engineer sounded the bell and whistle on the approach to the crossing.

Here's a link for more info.

http://boston.mirror-image.com/newsvide ... ain_10p.rm

 #26098  by JBlaisdell
 
I agree with the 1st 2 charges, but manslaughter? Hell, she will have to live with the guilt of having killed her mother. Unless she was drunk or under some other influence, that's enough.

 #26247  by FatNoah
 
I think she SHOULD be charged with manslaughter. Her mother's dead due to her own inattention / incompetence.

Maybe her sentence could be reduced to community service or something. Sounds like a good Operation Lifesaver candidate.
 #26361  by jfturner
 
Regardless of the fact that it wasn't their fault, the last thing the operation needs is bad press. Remember, most people on the Cape still think its the same group who operated the infamous "Poo-Poo" trains that spilled sewage from the passenger cars onto the mainline rather than pay someone to pump the collection tanks out. Even though its not the same operators.

Second - they'll get a bad rap because the crossing didn't have gates. But the truth is the State owns the tracks and pays the Bay Colony to maintain them. So it will be interesting to see if the driver tries to sue the CCCR, the State, Bay Colony, and anyone else that can be used to deflect blame.

Worst part is, even though most would agree the driver could never win the case, the CCCR probably doesn't have enough money to fight this in court.
 #26934  by Paul Cutler III
 
I just heard on Fox25 news that the women driver has been charged with vehicular homicide.

Also, I heard from a CCC employee (heck, I used to be one) that the engineer involved quit that day. "A super guy" and an "excellent engineer" was the description he used.

 #27062  by Robert Paniagua
 
Oh no, I hope they find a new operator for that train then.

They should also install gates at that crossing plus the others, but they probably won't do so until the track is upgraded to a 75mph limit.

What kind of engine did it used? An Amtrak Genesis P32AC? or a leased P40?

 #27113  by AM@BRT
 
It's all very well and good to say "They should...install gates at that crossing plus the others...", but who is going to pay for such an installation?
To add gates to an existing grade-crossing which is already equipped with lights and bells, will cost at least $100,000 per crossing. In the case of a crossing presently protected only by sawbucks, add $150,000.
I don't foresee the commonwealth spending that kind of money to support that operation, deserving though it may be. :(
 #27123  by Paul Cutler III
 
Don't worry, Robert. They have more than just one qualified engineer, last I heard.

The gate issue is interesting. Flashing red lights at a RR crossing means "STOP", just like a "STOP" sign or a red light at an intersection. People drive through red lights and "STOP" signs all the live-long-day, yet nobody is arguing that we should put gates across the streets at those locations... Why? For the same reason that they don't put RR gates everywhere: money. It simply costs too much to do everything, so certain criteria must be met.

And the power on this train was one of the converted low-nose GP9's (IIRC) that used to be orange (don't ask me what road) on the head end, with an RS-3m on the rear. A tourist train operator usually doesn't need 3000 plus Hp that a modern Amtrak engine produces, nor do they even want to travel at 75 mph. It'd be a waste of fuel for something like that.

Paul A. Cutler III
**************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
**************

 #27681  by CSX Conductor
 
i'm sure if they needed to, Herbie Clark could always run again. LOL

:wink:
 #28336  by OHanrahan
 
Can somebody tell me why the hell installing gates is so expensive?
 #28465  by omar
 
From my limited knowledge - that little trackside cabinet can hold around $50,000 of electrical and electronic components (not counting the cabinet itself - a few grand too). Now you have the flasher heads, poles, gates, gate lifting mechanisms and you start adding in the costs.

Oh - I forgot, you have to install 4 sets of insulated joint bars, bond rail for 1/4 mile in each direction, install the track circuit diodes (shunts?), wire up the whole contraption & just add power.

That is done with non-minimum wage labour & don't forget the flag protection necessary anytime you work within 25' of the tracks (Railway Worker Protection - the Feds are very anal about having protection - STD & all that).

It adds up. Then again $30,000 for a pick-up truck is ludicrous as well.