Collision with Truck in Oakland 4/3/05 AM

Please see attached. Any details from those in the know??

(Oakland, NJ - WABC, April 3, 2006) - A freight train collided with a dump truck in Oakland, N.J., setting it on fire.
Newscopter Seven was live over the scene.

The train hit the truck at the intersection of West Oakland Avenue near Edison Avenue. The dump truck was flipped over and exploded in flames.

There were believed to be two people in the dump truck at the time of the crash, but the extent of their injuries were not immediately known. The freight train was carrying wood at the time of the crash.

There are no crossing gates at the intersection where the crash.

just heard it on the radio, 2 dead

Truck catches fire killing two people inside

(Oakland, NJ - WABC, April 3, 2006) - There are no crossing gates at the intersection in Oakland where a freight train crashed into a dump truck. But witnesses tell Eyewitness News the train was sound it's whistle as it approached the crossing.

New Jersey reporter Jen Maxfield is live in Oakland with the story.
Witnesses tell Eyewitness News that the signal lights, the lights that flash red when the train is coming, were working this morning as well.

At noontime Newscopter Seven was live over the scene.

It is unclear how the dump truck got caught in the path of the train but we do know today that the outcome was deadly. According to to the spokesperson for the Bergen County Executive, the two people inside the dump truck died at the scene.

Newscopter Seven was also above the scene earlier this morning where the train hit the truck at the intersection of West Oakland Avenue near Edison Avenue.

At about 7:45 this morning, the 68 car freight train slammed into the dump truck causing it to flip over and dragging it 25 feet along the tracks before the dump truck exploded in flames.

"I grabbed a fire extinguisher, but there was nothing we could do. There was too much fire," said Eduardo Darosa, who was working at a nearby warehouse. "It was horrible. It happened in seconds."

The train did not derail and the two engineers aboard the locomotive were not hurt. Witness who were working in the area say they heard the train whistle and then a sickening crash.

Howard Foulds, Witness: "We heard thud followed by like a scraping metal kind of sound....rolling, just didn't make any since until we found out it was a crash.:"

Frank Ammirato, Witness: "We heard something was going on, a commotion and we looked in the back ....saw a whole bunch of smoke."

The reason the locomotive whistles as the train is coming in about a half-a-mile before it reaches the intersection is because there are no crossing gates at the intersection.

"The reason the locomotive sounds the horn" before the crossing, is the law, which states horn must be sounded before locomotives/trains occupy public crossings at grade. The location of the crossing, gates, lights or crossbucks, and the distance of the crossing (whatever THAT was supposed to mean) has nothing to do with sounding for the crossing. The horn must be sounded, and the series of blasts must be prolonged, or repeated, until the crossing is occupied. Nothing more, and nothing less.

i was by the bridge waiting with a few others afterwards. the police had the whole area blocked off ,they didn't want any media either.they finally started moving again around 1.30. if anything good came out of this, the engines made a great smoky shot going over. a few of the big cartier alcos were trailing. a few cars back(7?9?) there was a centerbeam with it's load of lumber charred up the middle.

the missing link wrote:i was by the bridge waiting with a few others afterwards. the police had the whole area blocked off ,they didn't want any media either.they finally started moving again around 1.30. if anything good came out of this, the engines made a great smoky shot going over. a few of the big cartier alcos were trailing. a few cars back(7?9?) there was a centerbeam with it's load of lumber charred up the middle.

NOTHING good came out of this. Two people are dead, two families are in mourning and two more lives are forever changed and all people can think about is how great the engine looked in a shot? I am embarrassed to be a railfan and ashamed of the railfan community. And I will NOT apologize for my statement. Shame to you all.

washingtonsecondary wrote:NOTHING good came out of this. Two people are dead, two families are in mourning and two more lives are forever changed and all people can think about is how great the engine looked in a shot? I am embarrassed to be a railfan and ashamed of the railfan community. And I will NOT apologize for my statement. Shame to you all.

Very well put.

Hey missing link you have very poor taste and judgment.
Try to think about what you going to say or write. Use the
brain that god gave you

It sounds like this accident was a SU100 coming through the section of town known as "West Oakland" (i.e. Oakland near the PL border).

The upgrades to ribbon rail, running of BIG freight up this end of the "Q" plus the accident could be a cataylst for installation of crossing gates.

I sensed some sick humour by the earlier post. It is because of railfans such as these that I basically railfan myself on part time basis. This hobby just has too many weirdoes, IMO.

I actually don't consider myself a railfan, but a "railroad historian."
There are times I have pondered to just stop taking pictures and throw the whole hobby out the window...Hopefully it doesnt get to the point where I do that....

Anyway.... Our thoughts and prayers are with the crew involved as well as the families of the victims. A good friend of mine knew the engineer involved and he was pretty badly shakin up psychologically. I do hope he comes around eventually. I can't imagine the trauma that an unfortunate incident like this can cause.... I was depressed just reading the news stories on this...

Steve

njt4172 wrote:I actually don't consider myself a railfan, but a "railroad historian." Steve

You sound like someone else I know....

sorry if i offended anyone. i came out to get pictures of trains, the accident was incidental. while it was a tragedy for those involved, it will happen again and again. the media will blame the railroad for its mere existence, regardless if the horn was blown. people will run gates or flashers in this case. they gambled .

the missing link wrote:sorry if i offended anyone. i came out to get pictures of trains, the accident was incidental. while it was a tragedy for those involved, it will happen again and again. the media will blame the railroad for its mere existence, regardless if the horn was blown. people will run gates or flashers in this case. they gambled .

Maybe its best if you keep your mouth shut. That was the most f**ked up appology I've ever read.

My thoughts are certainly with the crew and families of the deceased as well. Incidents like these are reasons why I personally would probably not want to become a rail.

I think it's a good idea to close this subject. Let's remember to think carefully about what we post and be sensitive and courteous (sp?) towards others.