Grade Crossing Accident - 11/16

when will they learn?




http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longi ... -headlines

Who knows? From the wreckage, it's pretty obvious he was sitting on the tracks when the train came, with the rear end in the way. Oh yeah, the family was watching it get hoiseted up onto the flatbed. It hit a Toyota (whoops <b>Lexus</b>) bling bling SUV and did a number on that too. Didn't see the third car that got hit.

BTW - this was an M-7, I didn't get the car number. First confirmed hit by an M-7?

I always thought they should put little car/suv/person/whatever outlines under the cab side window on the cars after they hit something, like WWII fighters used to have.

(If you're ever in South Dakota, look for little diamond shaped signs near the road everywhere - places where some drunk crashed and died. It's a state program, and they're litterally EVERYWHERE).

I wonder if anyone has ever given thought to placing cameras at the crossings to catch the license plates of those who DO go through the gates unscathed and come out the other side. Its just plain stupidity. I mean what's the longest you've ever waited for a train? 30 seconds? Maybe a minute if the crossing is near a station? Its not like we have 128 car coal drags running through here.

Phil,

BTW - this was an M-7, I didn't get the car number. First confirmed hit by an M-7?

Not around this place. M-7s have been hitting things, including each other (Hempstead Yard).
If you recall, an M-7 nailed a car a few months ago. And just this week, a couple of days after the tragedy in Bayport, an M-7 hit someone on the Babylon branch.

Tom

Lupo, You're right; people shouldn't normally be driving around the gates. BUT, there are several locations where you can sit at lowered gates for 5-10 minutes waiting for several slow-moving rush-hour trains to pass, all following each other at 30 MPH. One such place is the crossings in downtown Mineola. You gotta remember that even without long freight trains, the rush-hour traffic density from commuter trains on the main-line is much greater in western Nassau than eastern Suffolk.

And I agree, cameras at crossings would be an interesting idea. But, then are we going to ticket people who drive around the gates when they're stuck down because of a power failure? And it's a crossing where you can see a over a mile in each direction and visually verify that no train is approaching? And the gates at several consecutive crossings are all stuck down, and there is no overpass anywhere in the area to use as an alternative and the police or RR personnel are not on scene yet?

Isn't there an FRA regulation against trains blocking crossings for more then 20 minutes?

MTA police issued Porter two tickets for driving with a revoked license and for passing a lowered railroad gate. Porter's wife picked him up from the crash site. Department of Motor Vehicles records showed Porter's license had been revoked or suspended at least a dozen times.

This guy should be in jail. Driving with a revoked licence shows complete direspect and utter contempt of the law. Plus I hope the railroad sues him for the damage he caused their equipment.

Stuart

Joe,
I think a train can only block a crossing for a maximum of ten minutes. But if you live out west, you could be sitting a a crossing for longer. There might even be different times for different trains

so the M7 are like my friend accadent prone

I know it's black-humor, but I, too, kinda like the idea of the car decals under the side-cab window indicating hits.

Like "meatballs" painted under the window canopy of a Grumman Hellcat.

It just might make an impression on someone waiting at a crossing and seeing it as it passes. Might awaken them to the danger the next time they get "antsy" and decide to "make a run for it."

Dave Keller

A couple of comments and clarifications from above:

State law (and I believe this law is the same in every state) says a train can block a crossing for a maximum of 10 minutes. This time is calculated from the time a train is stopped to a time the train is moving again. So, for example, if a train is moving at 1 MPH and takes 30 minutes to clear the crossing, it is still not in violation of the law.

It is also illegal to cross a crossing with the gates lowered, even if they are broken. The only exceptions are if you are being waved by a police officer or a railroad representative. It doesn't matter if you can see a mile down the tracks in either direction. It's still illegal. There's good reason for this. Drivers tend to be like herds of deer. Watch one impatient guy go around the gates, and automatically everyone assumes the gate is broken and they can do it too. One of these drivers may not be as lucky as the first driver. (Same phenomenon can be observed at a long red light.)

As for the markings on the M7s, a similar practice was kept by some "old-head" engineers on the old MP54s. Those controller handles were removeable, and were made of wood. I've heard some engineers used to score notches in the handle for every grade crossing fatality they were involved in.

Jay

To sum all of this up. We now know why we do and will not have long Freight Trains on Long Island or double tracks from one end to another. The patience of our lovely drivers would end up in a fatal accident almost everyday! Anyone who doesn't believe this, go by the Waverley Crossing in Holtsville and see what happens if it takes the NYA more then 1 minute to switch out at Prima. They will be going pass the gates as they are laying on the horn w/ trailers none the less!!! Long Island Attitude... Doesn't matter who gets hit or killed just don't make me wait when I don't want to.

One last thing..Hell with painting it on the cabs...post a sign next to the crossing , i.e. " SIX KILLED AT CROSSING WHILE PASSING THROUGH GATES TO DATE" That may give them something nice to read while they get impatient.

LOOK
LISTEN
LIVE!!!!!

Jay:

Interesting bit of trivia about the old timers and their controller handles!

Thanx!

Dave Keller.

I think Mineola is by far one of the WORST places that has an abundance of this happening.

I also know when NYA switches 2 places that come to mind where they hold up traffic the most is Pine Aire or when they switch at Coastal on New Highway. Funny thing is about New Highway.... it doesn't matter if it's 11am or 10pm there is an insane amount of people honking their horns or want to go thru lowered gates. The circuitry over there is hurrendous as well. Sometimes gates go down, then they go right back up.

I think implementing cameras would be a big step in the right direction.