6 Dead, Many Injured After Metro-North Train Hits Car

[WinNut]

SOURCE

 

So a Metro-North M7 hit a car that was stopped in the middle of a grade crossing.

 

All I can say is, wow. I feel really sorry for the families of those killed in the accident. However, this was preventable if that person didn't stop and get out of her car as the gates went down and instead went with logic, which would be to floor it to get off the tracks as fast as you can.

 

It's also really scary to see one of my favorite railcars to be up in flames like that. 

 

@Flight1sim

@CreepersCrawlers

@railfan

[Jaybird]

You can't prevent stupid. You can only try to avoid it.

[Kyuubixchidori]

SOURCE

 

So a Metro-North M7 hit a car that was stopped in the middle of a grade crossing.

 

All I can say is, wow. I feel really sorry for the families of those killed in the accident. However, this was preventable if that person didn't stop and get out of her car as the gates went down and instead went with logic, which would be to floor it to get off the tracks as fast as you can.

 

It's also really scary to see one of my favorite railcars to be up in flames like that. 

damn shame. No idea how this happens though. unless its very short notice over there between the gates coming down and the train coming? no idea how a jeep gets stuck on a track though. theres nothing you can really do to prevent things like this besides educate the public

[STRMfrmXMN]

I like trains.

Except for when they kill people.

[Trik'Stari]

And people ask why I prefer driving to mass transit.

 

At least when driving, I have some control over my situation, mass transit = no control, total dependence upon others to not be morons.

[WinNut]

damn shame. No idea how this happens though. unless its very short notice over there between the gates coming down and the train coming? no idea how a jeep gets stuck on a track though. theres nothing you can really do to prevent things like this besides educate the public

The bells ring and the gates go down about 1/4 of a mile before the train arrives at the crossing.

 

And I see people do this all the time. The gates go down and they go around it, thinking that they can beat a train. People are truly stupid sometimes.

[Trik'Stari]

The bells ring and the gates go down about 1/4 of a mile before the train arrives at the crossing.

 

And I see people do this all the time. The gates go down and they go around it, thinking that they can beat a train. People are truly stupid sometimes.

.......why don't the gates cover the entire road? I've never understood this.

[79wjd]

I like trains.

Except for when they kill people.

http://youtu.be/5DjOL2we8ko?t=4s

 

 

.......why don't the gates cover the entire road? I've never understood this.

Natural Selection? 

[Kyuubixchidori]

The bells ring and the gates go down about 1/4 of a mile before the train arrives at the crossing.

 

And I see people do this all the time. The gates go down and they go around it, thinking that they can beat a train. People are truly stupid sometimes.

The issue here is that they come down all the time when there isnt a train. atleast 1 a month this happens on the way to school, 2/3rds of the schools traffic goes over a crossing. its come and stayed down for hours even when theres no train. so people tend to ignore it

.......why don't the gates cover the entire road? I've never understood this.

they block their lane of oncomming traffic here. a lot of crossings dont even have the gates. 

[Trik'Stari]

The issue here is that they come down all the time when there isnt a train. atleast 1 a month this happens on the way to school, 2/3rds of the schools traffic goes over a crossing. its come and stayed down for hours even when theres no train. so people tend to ignore it

they block their lane of oncomming traffic here. a lot of crossings dont even have the gates. 

They need to upgrade to gates that come down across the entire thing

[Kyuubixchidori]

They need to upgrade to gates that come down across the entire thing

well see. thats the issue, what about the times it blocks the road for hours? here its a major road, and 2 crossings basically block off traffic from one side of the town. you can get around it, but then the whole cities traffic has to go though 3 sidestreets. Doesn't work out to well. 

 

Its always a sacrifice of safety or convenience, like they could spend the money to just build bridges over every crossing. then this would never happen, but itd be so wildly expensive. 

 

a good start is to put them in on roads that dont even have the gates. 

 

looks like they are trying things to help though. pulled from wikipedia

"Another new type of barrier is being tested in Michigan that is hoped will reduce the number of times drivers attempt to drive around lowered crossing gates. The new devices are called "delineators" consisting of a series of flexible bollards that raise vertically out of vertical tubes in the pavement when the crossing signal is activated. The delineators are designed so that they will not be broken and will not damage vehicles if they are hit, allowing vehicles to exit the level crossing if they are already within it when the gates are activated. The test period for the new barrier began on 5 December 2007, and ran for at least a period of 17 months."

 

 

go mich! savin lives. issue is though people could still just drive though them

[Flight1sim]

yeah i saw Buzzfeed's tweet, i knew you'd make a topic about it!

 

Wow this is crazy

 

I think the gates should come down closer tbh, in many places, it's less than 10 seconds between when the gates come down and the train crossing (we almost got crushed by a BNSF ES44AC once (tire bursted))

[railfan]

We need more operation lifesaver

[Yoinkerman]

They need to upgrade to gates that come down across the entire thing

 

Gates are just thin aluminum, so they can be lifted up and down without requiring a zillion amps, and don't chop cars in half.  A longer gate doesn't fix stupid.

 

If the lights are flashing on the crossing, there will be a train.  Period.  There is enough delay to let a car/truck that's driving across to be able to get through if the lights start flashing when they're partway through.  If you're coming up to a crossing, the lights are flashing, and the gates aren't down yet, DON'T FUCKING DRIVE THROUGH.  If you come up to a crossing and the lights are flashing and the gates are down and you are thinking of driving around the gates, don't drive around them, go home and drink a bottle of bleach.

[Castdeath97]

Good thing there isn't so many train tracks in my country.