Fatal Frontrunner crash Pickup went around crossing gates

[SCRawl]

Regarding the "suicide by train" theory, just for an anecdote, I spoke with a guy I know who works for CN rail as some sort of mechanic. He's a few years from retirement, so he's had quite a bit of experience on the rails. Anyways, for the commuter trains (which ride the same rails as the freight) from time to time they're delayed, often citing "signal problems" as the reason. He said that this was basically a euphemism for something going wrong, with that something often being a guy who decided to jump in front of the train to end it all. I guess saying "track delays due to signal problems" is a little nicer than "some yo-yo turned himself into a pizza and made your train late".

[Cecelia5578]

Regarding the "suicide by train" theory, just for an anecdote, I spoke with a guy I know who works for CN rail as some sort of mechanic. He's a few years from retirement, so he's had quite a bit of experience on the rails. Anyways, for the commuter trains (which ride the same rails as the freight) from time to time they're delayed, often citing "signal problems" as the reason. He said that this was basically a euphemism for something going wrong, with that something often being a guy who decided to jump in front of the train to end it all. I guess saying "track delays due to signal problems" is a little nicer than "some yo-yo turned himself into a pizza and made your train late".

Well, a lot of the delays Caltrain has (commuter rail between San Jose and SF) are genuine signal problems, or some other such thing. Even something like having to call the transit police to get an unruly passenger off the train can cause massive problems. Commuter train schedules are just very delicate systems that can easily get out of whack.

[ShadowDragon8685]

I have actually had to scream from the passenger's seat of my uncle's minivan to stop him from attempting to run a level crossing, and I think the only thing that actually stopped him was the fact that I'd gotten my belt off and was reaching for the door handle.

My uncle's not a young guy by any stretch of the wildest dream, nor is he a thrill-seeker. It's simply that the trains that come through here do tend to move slowly, thus making it possible (not to mention a lengthy wait if a 60+ car coal train is coming through) and for some reason seeing something moving while he's standing still physically bothers him.


I think the thing that's going through these people's heads is that I don't want to be bothered by this. They calculate that they can make it, and wonder why they should wait; since they can obviously make it across before the train gets there, why in the world should they sit in front of the tracks watching the train?


That pisses me the fuck off. I never, ever run a train. I'll do a lot of things you probably shouldn't, but I will never, ever do that. I've had assholes behind me honk their horn and flick their lights at me to try and make me run a train crossing. Fuck them raw; those guys are the worst. Not only are they intent on fucking up the poor driver of the train if they wind up splattered across his windshield, but they're intend on making it be someone else splattered on the engineer's windshield, too.

[Korvan]

I think the thing that's going through these people's heads is that I don't want to be bothered by this. They calculate that they can make it, and wonder why they should wait; since they can obviously make it across before the train gets there, why in the world should they sit in front of the tracks watching the train?

No matter how good their mental calculations are, there's still always the unexpected. I actually stalled out on train tracks years ago. Track was clear for as far as you could see in either direction. We joked at bit about being in a 50's death on the tracks song, before hearing a train whistle in the distance, just as the warning signal started going off. Then I flooded the engine. There's a whole new definition of stress and pressure when you're waiting for a flooded engine to clear with a train bearing down on you. I got the passengers out of the car and figured I had a few more tries before abandoning my dad's car. At this point we were well visible to the train, so on top of everything else, I got a train's horn blaring at me every couple of seconds, just in case I wasn't aware of the situation I guess.

Well, I got the car going with plenty of time to spare, it turned out, but I still get nervous crossing tracks.

[Instant Sunrise]

Regarding the "suicide by train" theory, just for an anecdote, I spoke with a guy I know who works for CN rail as some sort of mechanic. He's a few years from retirement, so he's had quite a bit of experience on the rails. Anyways, for the commuter trains (which ride the same rails as the freight) from time to time they're delayed, often citing "signal problems" as the reason. He said that this was basically a euphemism for something going wrong, with that something often being a guy who decided to jump in front of the train to end it all. I guess saying "track delays due to signal problems" is a little nicer than "some yo-yo turned himself into a pizza and made your train late".

About 5 years ago here in LA there was a Metrolink train that got derailed in Glendale after somebody tried to commit suicide by train and then reconsidered out at the last minute.

The driver couldn't get the SUV off the tracks, so he got out and ran, and the Metrolink train derailed, hitting a freight train on a siding and another Metrolink train going the other way. 11 people died that day.

Trains are not something one should fuck around with.

[Broomstick]

Since I was at one of the low platform stations it really was an amazing experience when one of the Acela trains would go by. We were right in a good section of track with a MAS of 120 and I've seen backpacks, briefcases, and a whole host of things literally picked up and dragged along by the negative pressure just in the wake of those trains. Standing 5' away as they rumble past...you wouldn't even be a smear you'd be atomized in a collision.

Unfortunately, I've seen for myself that an ordinary old Amtrak is entirely capable of turning a human body to mush, you don't need an Acela to do that.

[Bounty]

Well, I got the car going with plenty of time to spare, it turned out, but I still get nervous crossing tracks.

If all else failed you could've always used the starter motor to get out of the way.

[Kanastrous]

I understand that of course it's an emotional rather than a rational thing but really it's tough to imagine a person less responsible for another's death than the engineer of a train that someone chooses to get squished by (by which someone chooses to get squished...?). Since in most cases I've read about there was nothing permitted by the laws of physics that anyone could have done to stop the trains in time, the engineer in the doofus-runs-the-gate deaths is as blameless as blameless can be. It's just sad to hear how broken up they can get about it.

[folti78]

Well, I got the car going with plenty of time to spare, it turned out, but I still get nervous crossing tracks.

If all else failed you could've always used the starter motor to get out of the way.

Does it works with automatic transmissions? I have doubts and at least Wikipedia and a quick googling says it's only working on manual transmissions and only if the car don't have a clutch/starter interlock switch, which prevents using the starter with a non-engaged clutch. Otherwise, yes it's a viable emergency technique, although it was only mentioned in the books during driver training but not practiced.

[Isolder74]

I understand that of course it's an emotional rather than a rational thing but really it's tough to imagine a person less responsible for another's death than the engineer of a train that someone chooses to get squished by (by which someone chooses to get squished...?). Since in most cases I've read about there was nothing permitted by the laws of physics that anyone could have done to stop the trains in time, the engineer in the doofus-runs-the-gate deaths is as blameless as blameless can be. It's just sad to hear how broken up they can get about it.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder it's as simple as that!

Seeing someone die is a very traumatic experience no matter how it happens. It can be even worse when you are forced to watch with the ability to do nothing. Even if the engineer knows that it isn't his/her fault, just being forced to watch can be very psychologically traumatic. No matter how many times you tell them it wasn't your fault the fact that you were forced to watch as someone died and being able to do nothing is the cause of most of the pain they feel. After a accident like this sometimes the engineer can be in so much shock that it can lead to even things as drastic as divorces and suicides.

And take it from someone who knows a train engineer, they don't ever get over it completely. Luckily my cousin has never had his train run over someone, yet....but that is only a matter if time, sadly.

[Broomstick]

Despite the physics involved, if a train engineer is involved in such an accident the first thing that happens is he or she is suspended from work and taken from the scene to a suitable location (such as a hospital) for very intensive drug testing. After that, even if there wasn't a goddamn thing the person could do and they were absolutely sober, they can STILL be sued by the deceased's family. I'm sure that just adds to the stress of it all.

[ShadowDragon8685]

Despite the physics involved, if a train engineer is involved in such an accident the first thing that happens is he or she is suspended from work and taken from the scene to a suitable location (such as a hospital) for very intensive drug testing. After that, even if there wasn't a goddamn thing the person could do and they were absolutely sober, they can STILL be sued by the deceased's family. I'm sure that just adds to the stress of it all.

... That is very, very wrong. The laws of physics do not bend to the laws of man, no matter how much any given legislature may attempt to legislate that it does.

[Terralthra]

Well, I got the car going with plenty of time to spare, it turned out, but I still get nervous crossing tracks.

If all else failed you could've always used the starter motor to get out of the way.

Does it works with automatic transmissions? I have doubts and at least Wikipedia and a quick googling says it's only working on manual transmissions and only if the car don't have a clutch/starter interlock switch, which prevents using the starter with a non-engaged clutch. Otherwise, yes it's a viable emergency technique, although it was only mentioned in the books during driver training but not practiced.

It wouldn't have worked with an automatic, but an automatic should also not typically stall. If it does, put the key to accessory, move the lever to neutral, and push the car off the rails. Especially since you said you had passengers, it should've been cake to roll a car forward 10 feet.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

[


It wouldn't have worked with an automatic, but an automatic should also not typically stall. If it does, put the key to accessory, move the lever to neutral, and push the car off the rails. Especially since you said you had passengers, it should've been cake to roll a car forward 10 feet.

Yeah, in any situation where you're stuck on railroad tracks, just push the car off immediately and worry about trying to start it later. Most importantly, being out of your car pushing it, you're out of your car; so if you do see a train coming, escaping being killed is much easier than when you have to unbuckle youself, open the door, etc. Obviously any passengers should get out at the same time, but that's sort of a given.

[Korvan]

[


It wouldn't have worked with an automatic, but an automatic should also not typically stall. If it does, put the key to accessory, move the lever to neutral, and push the car off the rails. Especially since you said you had passengers, it should've been cake to roll a car forward 10 feet.

Yeah, in any situation where you're stuck on railroad tracks, just push the car off immediately and worry about trying to start it later. Most importantly, being out of your car pushing it, you're out of your car; so if you do see a train coming, escaping being killed is much easier than when you have to unbuckle youself, open the door, etc. Obviously any passengers should get out at the same time, but that's sort of a given.

The car did have an automatic transmission and I stand by my record of being able to stall anything with an engine. This happened quite some time ago, so I can't remember if I was considering the push it in neutral option. I do have a tendency to tunnel vision under stress and just repeat my current course of action though.

[Kanastrous]

I do have a tendency to tunnel vision under stress and just repeat my current course of action though.

Yeesh. That's not contributory to survival.