Railworks America

Sad news folks,

At least 2 die in fiery Amtrak collision with truck
A collision between an Amtrak train and a semi-truck at a railroad crossing on a rural northern Nevada highway killed at least two people Friday, authorities said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43528942/ns/us_news-life/t/least-die-fiery-amtrak-collision-truck/from/toolbar

Five bucks says drugs and/or alcohol was responsible for this accident.

or texting perhaps or a combo of a few of them, it's a cryin' shame either way.

I'm hearing and reading on various railroad forums and from credible people on Facebook that this crossing is notorious for past accidents and "almost" accidents. The truck hit the train (not the other way around) at 80mph impacting the 1st passenger car (which caught fire) and partially ripping the side/roof off the 2nd. Given those circumstances amazing there wasn't more injuries or fatalities.

Edit: Article from the Reno Gazette-Journal: http://www.rgj.com/article/20110624/NEW ... y=nav|head

I knew the truck hit the train, but 80mph, who does 80 in a rig anyways? No trucker I know would go that fast on any road in any condition, that might explain why the damage is so severe though.

I'll agree 80mph is high for a big rig, but not surprised by it at all. The Remoteness of the crossing might have something to do with it. Maybe the driver fell asleep, etc. Who knows, the NTSB report will show all. That's for sure.

Chessie8638 wrote:I'll agree 80mph is high for a big rig, but not surprised by it at all. The Remoteness of the crossing might have something to do with it. Maybe the driver fell asleep, etc. Who knows, the NTSB report will show all. That's for sure.

Wow.....now that's what you call "Middle of no where"!!

It must take actual effort to fail to see a train there...

80mph at a crossing is way to fast. The driver could have fallen asleep or his brakes could have locked up. I think trucks nowadays have black boxes so i guess we will find out soon.

60% of train / vehicle collisions are the vehicle colliding with the locomotive or train. I saw a guy one time run a red light and hit a locomotive right in the fuel tank. The train was coming through the crossing, the horn was blowing, and the crossing was flashing with gates down. The kid claimed he did not see anything.

mapitts wrote:60% of train / vehicle collisions are the vehicle colliding with the locomotive or train. I saw a guy one time run a red light and hit a locomotive right in the fuel tank. The train was coming through the crossing, the horn was blowing, and the crossing was flashing with gates down. The kid claimed he did not see anything.

Or the kid just wasn't paying attention. Anyone who doesn't pay attention to their driving should lose their license instead of endangering the rest of us. Defensive driving used to be a tactic; now it's a necessity.

Tori

shicoe30 wrote:but 80mph, who does 80 in a rig anyways?

A driver on cocaine in a hurry. I had an encounter with one of those once; went through Flagstaff at 85 in a blinding snowstorm. Scared the other truckers to death! All were telling him to slow down but he just turned off his radio. His reason for hurrying was so he would have an extra day to park in CA and do coke before driving back to NC.

I like truckers; 99% of them are the best drivers on the highway but everything has a loose screw in it somewhere.

Tori

I spent several winters in Arizona, and all I can say is truck traffic is VERY FAST down there. It is not just a few drivers, they almost all drive like maniacs. It is scarey on the interstates. And I think they just raised the speed limits!

Speed limit on the Interstates in Arizona has been 75MPH for a few years now. Trucks and cars, so you know they are doing 5 or 10 above that. Watch out for AZ Highway patrol, they will not give you one MPH over. And those tan and white cars, with no light bar, sneaky little devils.
California, it's trucks 55, cars 65, but no one ever sticks to that here. But as much as I drive the freeways here, I rarely see a CHP. I don't know about Nevada, but I suppose in the boondocks, you just do what you can get away with. Guess this guy didn't get away with much, did he. Tragic.

Here in Georgia the speed limit is 75 on the Interstate, until you get within about 20 or 25 miles of a city - like Atlanta, then it drops to 65, and once in the city it drops to 55.
They generally allow you 10 miles over the limit here, with the exception of some rookie cop or, as in the case lately, local governments going broke.

Thing is, if you're cruising along at 80, in the middle lane of the Interstate, cars and trucks are blowing by you on both sides.