Westbury Wreck 02/26/2019

[edflyerssn007]

LIRR has established partial service this am on the main line. They removed the one train and repaired the "south" rail so that trains can get by. There will be mid-day closure to rerail the derailed cars and get them moved. Westbury will be getting a new platform based on the pictures I saw.

https://www.k2mphotography.com/Firefigh ... t-2-26-19/

[mirrodie]

Make mine a double!


Looks like TWO trains hit the car, an east and westbound.

Too bad the driver made a poor choice.

[STrRedWolf]

National news is covering it.

https://abc7ny.com/lirr-trains-hit-vehi ... d/5158670/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; For latest. Three from a truck crossing against the guards dead when two trains hit it. Stupidity.

[ConstanceR46]

Yikes. Eliminiating crossings cannot come soon enough.

The photos of the car are insane...

[bellstbarn]

The eastbound first hit the vehicle. Then the faster westbound hit it. What was the train number of the eastbound, and did it make a station stop at Westbury?
Thanks.

[Head-end View]

Eastbound was train #1260. Was accelerating from its Westbury station stop so not up to MAS yet.

[RailTrek]

This is why the Central Branch should have been electrified long ago.

There were minor injuries on the westbound train and some were transported to hospitals by the numerous ambulances that responded from several area fire depts. Don't know if there were any injuries on the eastbound train.

Given the nature and location of this collision, the Central Branch, electrified or not, would not have helped here. The entire line was suspended yesterday, and the Central Branch merges with the Main line east of Bethpage.

[MACTRAXX]

H-E View: From looking at a current Port Jefferson Branch timetable noting the 7:15 PM time the eastbound train was either #1736 (stops Hicksville 7:13 PM then Syosset, CSH and Huntington) or #1260 as you note with a Westbury stop at 7:16 PM terminating at Hicksville.

What may have happened is that this still-unidentified motorist was getting inpatient waiting at the School Street crossing seeing the stopped eastbound train at Westbury Station and then drove around the gate getting hit by westbound train #2065 (Hicksville 7:11 then Mineola 7:20 PM) at or close to MAS (80 mph) derailing the first two cars from debris and then colliding with the east end of Platform A - 112 feet was the length of damaged platform mentioned.

I noticed that M7 cars 7425-7426 are equipped with surveillance cameras (a small sticker above the engineer's cab next to the marker lights notes this) - does one face outward towards the ROW and may have captured the impact on video? M7 car 7425 looks to have held up well even in the aftermath of the collision with the vehicle and platform noticing the front windshields were intact and not broken.

Westbury Station Platform A will likely be two cars shorter until the damaged platform section can be replaced after the rerailing process takes place this morning 2/27 at the time of this post. The damaged segments of track and third rail will need to be then fixed up to restore regular service.

All speculating aside: An in-depth investigation should find the cause of this wreck...MACTRAXX

[MattAmity90]

I don't think those M7 cars will be repairable and will have to be scrapped. For the past few years, this is the worst grade crossing accident I can think of since Brentwood in January 2013. One train is bad enough, but it was nailed by both, I can't recall a grade crossing accident on the LIRR that involved a vehicle and two trains. One thing that is said with many that would agree: The only safe grade crossing is NO grade crossing at all.

Finally, there are currently two grade crossings that are being eliminated with construction well underway. They are the Western and Easternmost crossings between Floral Park and Hicksville: Covert Avenue in New Hyde Park and Urban Avenue in Westbury/New Cassel. Those two streets are seeing limited traffic and frequent closure.

[RGlueck]

Besides being ground up, I take it the automobile burned?
DNA time.

Grade crossings are always going to be problematic as long as we blame the railroad for stupid driving decisions. The gates are there for a reason! Immediate gratification expected from the driver, and this kind of thing happens. Oh, and be sure to blame the engineers and railroad for the driver's decision to be stupid.

My consideration is especially directed towards the fire department and police who have to pull the remains out.

[Ridgefielder]

The automobile was so badly ground up that the police haven't been able to determine what kind of vehicle it was.

[MACTRAXX]

Nassau Police were reporting pretty early once again a vehicle went around the downed gates.

Only makes me wonder if the surviving kin of the driver would attempt to pull off an Ellen Brody and sue the railroad for some reason?

R36 (and Everyone:)
The Nassau County Police is now reporting that this vehicle may have been involved in a hit-and-run vehicle accident or other crime and may have been trying to get away at the time which is the reason that they ran around the gate at the School Street crossing in Westbury. If these three vehicle occupants were indeed criminals they paid the ultimate price...MACTRAXX

[CarterB]

Vehicle was mashed/shredded by and between the two trains?

[Ridgefielder]

That's my understanding. Hit by the Eastbound first, which kicked it into the path of the Westbound express, which was doing 79mph. Then rolled between the sides of the two trains heading in opposite directions.

[ConstanceR46]

Mac, that's pure and utter speculation and just as likely as Karen the Soccer Mom not wanting to miss her kid's practice. IIt feels voyeuristic to act like this was just desserts.