Almost got to watch someone die today...

[RowdyRebel]

So it's still 0-dark-30 when I climb up into the truck to leave this morning otherwise I'd have the dash cam footage since the rail crossing is pretty much straight ahead when the truck is parked.

 

Anyway, I climb in and close the door just as the crossing lights start to flash. There's a pair of lumber trucks and a car just getting to the crossing...first truck makes it across before the arms begin to move. Second truck follows as the gates began to lower. Car driver couldn't make up their mind whether they ought to stop or keep rolling across as the gates are nearing "all of the way down" position...so they stopped...ON THE TRACKS.

 

Yup. Lights blinking, gates completely down, train blaring its horn rapidly approaching...car STOPPED on the tracks between the gates.

 

Reverse lights come on and they start backing up...but there's a gate behind them...so they stop again...

 

Train STILL coming, getting stupid with its horn.

 

Finally, the car puts it in a forward gear and drives off the tracks (which should have been the obvious choice since the gates barely reach across the center line of the road...really wasn't anything obstructing their path ahead.

 

Less than 5 seconds later, the train barrels through the crossing, probably doing every bit of the 55-60 mph they typically run through here.

 

I'm glad they got out of the way, because it was a Northbound train, and I live just North of the crossing. My driveway would have likely been a debris field of whatever scraps would've been left of what would've formerly been a car.

 

Seriously, though, HOW do people THAT STUPID manage to survive long enough to even drive a car? I guess the answer to that could probably be found on any seemingly harmless product that gets plastered with warning labels by the lawyers...

 

Maybe we'd all be better off if we'd just let 'em succumb to their own stupidity?

[gearhead204]

maybe we could install train tracks between the white house  and capitol hill............should help eliminate part of the stupidity that comes out of that place, since none of them can make a decision either

[hatcity]

Darwin is NOT happy

[ranchhopper]

I remember many years ago my uncle and myself  had a pair of F7s lashed up running freight and hit a pick up truck that truck looked like it was shot out of a cannon when we hit him at 30 miles per hour. He lived and hopefully learned there is no contest when a train hits you not many can say they learned the hard way because they were no longer here.

[RowdyRebel]

3 hours ago, j hancock said:

Amazing.......  Has anyone ever won a contest against a train?

Bourbonnais (sp?) IL...not far from Kankakee...forget the year. Steel hauler drove away after an Amtrak train clobbered his loaded trailer. Ripped the pin off the trailer, truck was pretty much untouched. Train derailed and a bunch of passengers died.

 

That's the only one I can think of.

[ranchhopper]

If you want to see what happens to a truck with a crane on a lowboy get hit by a train this will make anyone that's ever been behind the control stand shudder.This train starts to quickly slow down as the tank cars are peeling off the rails to the left of the picture pretty scary stuff.

 

Edited November 2, 2016 by ranchhopper

[BillyT]

Saw a photo of a car hauler that " bottomed out"  on a rail crossing! Fortunately for the "driver" he bailed out! There were cars scattered along the tracks for 1/8 of a mile! When I was in the towing  business we picked up the " remains" of a steel haulers rig after he tried to "beat" a train to a crossing! My friend had a 4000 White gas burning tandem with a Holmes 750 on it the thing got used about once a year for "special occasions" like the demise of the steel haulers rig! Hat City is right on both occasions Darwin wouldn't have been happy ya gotta pity those two guys descendants!😁

[BillyT]

Saw a photo of a car hauler that " bottomed out"  on a rail crossing! Fortunately for the "driver" he bailed out! There were cars scattered along the tracks for 1/8 of a mile! When I was in the towing  business we picked up the " remains" of a steel haulers rig after he tried to "beat" a train to a crossing! My friend had a 4000 White gas burning tandem with a Holmes 750 on it the thing got used about once a year for "special occasions" like the demise of the steel haulers rig! Hat City is right on both occasions Darwin wouldn't have been happy ya gotta pity those two guys descendants!😁Anyone ever win a contest with a train?....another train!