Large Scale Central

Train slams into truck, derails

Prototypes
#1

On Sunday in Mer Rouge, LA a truck hauling a large crane on a lowboy trailer got hung up on the railroad crossing. A Union Pacific freight train slammed into it and derailed. Some folks waiting in their car caught it on video:

http://youtu.be/AuH1Ogdx4cg

The leaking gas was argon --not toxic but definitely a suffocation hazard. The driver of the truck got out and was unhurt. The engineer had minor injuries, the conductor had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/10/06/2-injured-when-train-derails-in-louisiana/

#2

Sheesh!.

However, the last thing I though they would do would be to sit there gabbing away with a trainload of tanks just involved in an accident…just in case!

Not knowing what was in the tanks think I would have been a couple of miles down the road (opposite direction) by the time the female car passenger datelined the event for the video!!!

#3

I saw no signs on the approach to the crossing saying “RISK OF GROUNDING” .

Are the rail companies so mean as to not even bother with basic signs ?

Of course , it will be the poor truck driver gets it in the neck , but , hey , why change tradition ?

In the UK in such risk areas there are two triangular signs , one either side of the road (hiway) with a warning about the risk .

Mike

#4

In the US I have seen signs with pitchers on them that worn of such a hazard. Scraping bottom or un even road to tracks . But there not every wair they should be .

#5

Wow! What the video doesn’t show is what was happening a short ways down the track…

(http://www.wdsu.com/image/view/-/28968230/medRes/1/-/maxh/460/maxw/620/-/rr4jpe/-/trainderailment-jpg.jpg)

#6

Jon Radder said:

Wow! What the video doesn’t show is what was happening a short ways down the track…

(http://www.wdsu.com/image/view/-/28968230/medRes/1/-/maxh/460/maxw/620/-/rr4jpe/-/trainderailment-jpg.jpg)

That certainly looks quite different from the cars coasting to an easy stop up at the crossing.

Clearly visible in the video the large “Oversize load” sign at the tail of that rig, which leads to the questions: “was there a warning vehicle in front of that transport? Did the driver of such vehicle not recognize the dangerous build of that crossing? Did the driver of that transport check what his ground clearance was?”

#7

May have been an inexperienced truck driver. Maybe he was trying to make a schedule. A lot of ifs. And yes, those signs warning of this type of this type of occurrence are sporadic at best in this country.

#8

Dan Padova said:

May have been an inexperienced truck driver. Maybe he was trying to make a schedule. A lot of ifs. And yes, those signs warning of this type of this type of occurrence are sporadic at best in this country.

Talking to truck drivers I got the impression that: 1. The Load 2. The Road … and the rest follows. (http://rhb-grischun.ca/phpBB3/images/smilies/7.gif)

#9

If the escort vehicle is a large pickup , therefore no comparison to a lowboy , how is he going to warn the lowboy ?

No signs = trouble , simple . The alternative , route survey , is so expensive that it puts anyone off doing it . No , as long as they have a fall guy , the truck driver , nobody gives a toss . The argument that the driver should know ground clearance hardly merits a response if he does not have an algebraic formula for calculating the hump/bump ratio . Even then , where exactly does he cross ? In the middle ? To the left ? No , I am afraid that is nonsense . In any case , he does know the ground clearance . If you care to watch a lowboy moving , you will note that the centre of the bed bounces up and down because of uneven road surfaces , so the clearance is a bit arguable anyway . Then of course , the truck driver slows down to avoid hitting the high points during the bounce so the inertia that would give a small scrape becomes nil and the truck stops altogether . Try driving an HGV and then give reasoned comments .

If the railways were to cooperate , and allow prior setting up of temporary ramps to allow clearance (as done in most European countries) it would not happen , but that would inconvenience the railroad . But rather less than the mess shown . Temporary ramps can be as simple as a dumper load of sand spread in the road .

People driving to race the train to a crossing need shooting of course , there is no excuse for that .

Mike (bin there , dunnit)

#10

If I saw a cloud of unknown gas after something like that, I’d bug the hell outta there also.

#11

What is not ever clearly stated in these events is the fact that the logistics person for the company hauling the crane (in this case) is responsible to know the clearances required (in all directions) for the equipment being hauled and the equipment being used. He is paid to know, or find out, the routes that are acceptable. That being said, the logistic people utilize documents provided by federal, state and local governments to make those determinations. How accurate are those documents? That’s anyone’s guess. Roads settling, multiple repaves with out grinding, or any of a plethora of other changes since publication will generate inaccurate data.

It is however, ultimately the drivers responsibility to know his equipment and know what he can and can’t do with it. Yes that load would have required escorts, probably both front and rear. Would the escort have been able to detect the interference, likely not.

IMHO the driver should have slowed to a crawl (considering a rear escort) to make the attempt at making that crossing. That way the minute an interference was detected (should have been long before the point of no return) the ability to back off the crossing would still have been available. However, as stated above, safety follows profits.

My tuppence worth.

#12

Vic Smith said:

If I saw a cloud of unknown gas after something like that, I’d bug the hell outta there also.

I hope the train crew is recovering nicely.

Here are some more pictures of the mess caused by that truck driver http://www.veooz.com/topic/train_derailment.html

Since every picture is worth a thousand words, let the pictures tell the story!

#13

See all the ballast piled up ? And the earthmovers all working ?

Using one bulldozer and about the same amount of ballast , a temporary ramp could have been built .

And what happened to the clearance to cross at a particular time when approaching rail traffic should be under caution ? Of course , this involves signals slowing the trains way back just in case of a hang up of a special load . That is how it’s supposed to be done . Where was the railway rep on duty at the crossing for this authorised movement , to cater just for this eventuality ?

The train maniacs will rush to condemn the truck driver as usual , notwithstanding that he would have had to follow the route given which had supposedly been cleared for transit well before the journey took place .

It is only when a really serious accident involving very heavy loss of life occurs that anyone will condescend to examine the whole sorry mess .

In the meantime , what’s a few truckers ? Who in all cases are innocent until proven guilty in a court , and not prejudged by unthinking amateurs .

Mike

#14

Yea, its always the trucker’s fault. Even with route maps and maps showing approved roads for trucks to travel on, if they hang up under a bridge, or on a crossing its their fault. Yes, I am being sarcastic.But unfortunately the public will blame a driver, no matter what the facts really are. I spent a nice evening in a police station in Kentucky being grilled by a cop because some yokel drove under my trailer when I was stopped.

I was told, when I was starting to drive trucks, to always carry a camera with me, that way I could document signage (or missing signage) if I were to be involved in something.

Hans, the cars rolling to nice stop at the crossing were pushing the other cars off the rails. On the video you can hear hollow metallic bangs, the sort of bangs an empty car would make when its flopped off the rails.

#15

Yes David,

Once the engines were off the rails that would be as solid as a bumper and the first two cars probably jack-knifed with the rest following that lead, just like on a model railroad. I’m sure the on-board cameras recorded everything quite nicely.

BTW the couple who filmed “the action” got a lot of flak about not calling 911; there was no need, they were stopped beside the cop shop when all of this went down.

Sunday afternoon, a few minutes past 1PM, hmmm … nah… I guess not …

#16

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10687214_10152495874174315_1007792475552109749_n.jpg?oh=e47f2a75f4d7e6588b43a238704ed31f&oe=54B57B19&gda=1422163276_9c2c0dce23161133afdd18faeca82946)

I bet I can make this on a 3d printer if anyone wants one, lol

#17

Mike Morgan said:

If the escort vehicle is a large pickup , therefore no comparison to a lowboy , how is he going to warn the lowboy ?

No signs = trouble , simple . The alternative , route survey , is so expensive that it puts anyone off doing it . No , as long as they have a fall guy , the truck driver , nobody gives a toss . The argument that the driver should know ground clearance hardly merits a response if he does not have an algebraic formula for calculating the hump/bump ratio . Even then , where exactly does he cross ? In the middle ? To the left ? No , I am afraid that is nonsense . In any case , he does know the ground clearance . If you care to watch a lowboy moving , you will note that the centre of the bed bounces up and down because of uneven road surfaces , so the clearance is a bit arguable anyway . Then of course , the truck driver slows down to avoid hitting the high points during the bounce so the inertia that would give a small scrape becomes nil and the truck stops altogether . Try driving an HGV and then give reasoned comments .

If the railways were to cooperate , and allow prior setting up of temporary ramps to allow clearance (as done in most European countries) it would not happen , but that would inconvenience the railroad . But rather less than the mess shown . Temporary ramps can be as simple as a dumper load of sand spread in the road .

People driving to race the train to a crossing need shooting of course , there is no excuse for that .

Mike (bin there , dunnit)

I believe that in this day and age we have something called CELL PHONES, TWO WAY RADIOS, Etc.

What about making improvements to the existing grade crossings. This would be a permanent rather than temporary solution. And why is it the railroad’s fault that road vehicle operators sometimes mis-calculate their own equipment?

#18

It’s the truck companies responsibility to precheck the route to assure that its going to be passable, and that for a highly professional company operating specialized oversized vehicles, means pre-driving the route, not just using Google Earth street views which unfortunately seams to be the more common method.

A good company will always take the safest route even if its miles roundabout. This isn’t a regular vehicle its a specialized oversize vehicle, therefore all that more responsibility is on the operators to assure safe passage.

#19

Dan Padova said:

Mike Morgan said:

If the escort vehicle is a large pickup , therefore no comparison to a lowboy , how is he going to warn the lowboy ?

No signs = trouble , simple . The alternative , route survey , is so expensive that it puts anyone off doing it . No , as long as they have a fall guy , the truck driver , nobody gives a toss . The argument that the driver should know ground clearance hardly merits a response if he does not have an algebraic formula for calculating the hump/bump ratio . Even then , where exactly does he cross ? In the middle ? To the left ? No , I am afraid that is nonsense . In any case , he does know the ground clearance . If you care to watch a lowboy moving , you will note that the centre of the bed bounces up and down because of uneven road surfaces , so the clearance is a bit arguable anyway . Then of course , the truck driver slows down to avoid hitting the high points during the bounce so the inertia that would give a small scrape becomes nil and the truck stops altogether . Try driving an HGV and then give reasoned comments .

If the railways were to cooperate , and allow prior setting up of temporary ramps to allow clearance (as done in most European countries) it would not happen , but that would inconvenience the railroad . But rather less than the mess shown . Temporary ramps can be as simple as a dumper load of sand spread in the road .

People driving to race the train to a crossing need shooting of course , there is no excuse for that .

Mike (bin there , dunnit)

I believe that in this day and age we have something called CELL PHONES, TWO WAY RADIOS, Etc.

What about making improvements to the existing grade crossings. This would be a permanent rather than temporary solution. And why is it the railroad’s fault that road vehicle operators sometimes mis-calculate their own equipment?

Dan, the way it looks one needs to be an ex-truck driver or have a relative who is a truck driver in order to appreciate the “real” situation, never mind the rig hung up on the crossing.

With tongue very firmly in cheek

Could it be that the train was pushing the rails in front of him and they lifted at the crossing?

#20

Could it be Hans that you try to stifle sensible knowledgeable comment by using snide comment ?

As it happens , being ex-service (which you proudly are not) , I have worked on a daily basis with heavy loads like tanks at 70 ton and so on . So your nasty little , childish even , remark about having truck drivers as relatives diminishes your self promoted status even more .

I thought that we had agreed to stop this sniping , but until you grow up , I suppose it will continue .

And of course , you are exactly the sort who would shoot the truck driver and ask why it happened afterwards .

Go and play childrens’ games on your own site . Oh I forgot . Nobody is allowed to disagree with your religious fanaticism there . So go play with yourself then .

Mike

ps , you don’t have to stick to your promise of never answering my posts if you should want to lower yourself by replying direct and not running to the management about Mike being nasty again .

Perhaps I should put some little emoticons here , tongue in cheek ones , they seem to allow you in particular some form of get out . Sad really .