2 Brightline Accidents at same x-ing in two days

[Bruce Archer]

Hi All!
    Brightline (Jacksonville and Orlando to Miami) struck 2 vehicles at the same crossing in consecutive days. 3 have perished. There was a surveillance camera that showed the two vehicles going around other cars and the gates before being struck. When will people learn? When will reporters learn the laws governing crossings?

Bruce

[Dwight in Toronto]

As some like to say, “thinning out the herd”.

[learmoia]

I recall a black and white photo of a rural grade crossing - just a cross buck, no gates or lights, with a sign below it:

Warning: Trans travel over 100MPH 

[peteski]

Some people will never learn.  Their brains  (for whatever reasons) just don't seem to be wired correctly.

[C855B]

I will go so far as to say this is Brightline's fault. The principle of grade separations at all road crossings where trains would be running at speed was practiced in the late 1920s by Illinois Central in construction of the Edgewood Cutoff (bypassing the congestion at Centralia and Carbondale). Brightline forgot/ignored this concept to save a buck.

I have to ask how it was possible to go around the gates. On the 100+ mph lines here in Illinois, there are full quad gates at even the most rinky-dink rural crossings. There's just no way to go around them without driving on the tracks. Or are we dealing with severe examples of Darwin's Law down there?

[Scott1984]

We are no longer a patient society. We must have instant gratification at all cost's. The days of being able to wait for something to happen has gone out the window. 

[pedro]

We are no longer a patient society. We must have instant gratification at all cost's. The days of being able to wait for something to happen has gone out the window. 

Motorists have been driving in front of trains for as long as there have been automobiles, and undoubtedly horse and buggies before that. It is definitely NOT some “modern problem” of impatience. Watch any vintage train movie going back to the earliest days of motion pictures.

That said, it always amazes me that 99.9% of people will sit dumbly at a red light in the middle of nowhere with no cross traffic in sight until it turns green, but can’t bring themselves to wait for a train. There is admittedly some kind of mental disconnect there. It’s a first cousin to people who absolutely cannot be behind a truck (even a pickup) on the highway.

And I agree that closure, grade separation, or four-quadrant gates with curb dividers should be the only three options for crossings, without exception, not even for private crossings. And the railroads should pay for it. Call your congressman, I guess.

[John]

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[signalmaintainer]

Motorists have been driving in front of trains for as long as there have been automobiles, and undoubtedly horse and buggies before that. It is definitely NOT some “modern problem” of impatience. Watch any vintage train movie going back to the earliest days of motion pictures.

That said, it always amazes me that 99.9% of people will sit dumbly at a red light in the middle of nowhere with no cross traffic in sight until it turns green, but can’t bring themselves to wait for a train. There is admittedly some kind of mental disconnect there. It’s a first cousin to people who absolutely cannot be behind a truck (even a pickup) on the highway.

And I agree that closure, grade separation, or four-quadrant gates with curb dividers should be the only three options for crossings, without exception, not even for private crossings. And the railroads should pay for it. Call your congressman, I guess.

I agreed with everything you stated until, "And the railroads should pay for it." Established precedent would overrule that in court. Local governments are legally responsible for paying for automated grade crossings and additional safety improvements at grade crossings, such as quad gates, not railroads. Trains legally have the right of way where rails and streets meet, just as water traffic legally has the right of way over railroads where moveable bridges are concerned. It's up to local governments to provide protection, or grade separation, or to close crossings altogether. You may disagree; you can whiz into the wind too and try to stay dry.

[pedro]

I agreed with everything you stated until, "And the railroads should pay for it." Established precedent would overrule that in court. Local governments are legally responsible for paying for automated grade crossings and additional safety improvements at grade crossings, such as quad gates, not railroads. Trains legally have the right of way where rails and streets meet, just as water traffic legally has the right of way over railroads where moveable bridges are concerned. It's up to local governments to provide protection, or grade separation, or to close crossings altogether. You may disagree; you can whiz into the wind too and try to stay dry.

Lol, I know that was a fantasy statement about the railroads paying for it, I’m just saying in a perfect world they ought to. They can afford it, but paying lawyers and settlements will always be cheaper…
Ive had five grade crossing and/or pedestrian incidents in 27 years. It doesn’t even get my heart rate up anymore when I have close calls. A certain percentage of the population will always be dumb, and, well… it breaks the monotony.

[signalmaintainer]

Lol, I know that was a fantasy statement about the railroads paying for it, I’m just saying in a perfect world they ought to. They can afford it, but paying lawyers and settlements will always be cheaper…
Ive had five grade crossing and/or pedestrian incidents in 27 years. It doesn’t even get my heart rate up anymore when I have close calls. A certain percentage of the population will always be dumb, and, well… it breaks the monotony.

I certainly feel for the crews. I've seen loco videos of grade crossing fatalities involving pedestrians. It's awful.

[sd45elect2000]

Lol, I know that was a fantasy statement about the railroads paying for it, I’m just saying in a perfect world they ought to. They can afford it, but paying lawyers and settlements will always be cheaper…
Ive had five grade crossing and/or pedestrian incidents in 27 years. It doesn’t even get my heart rate up anymore when I have close calls. A certain percentage of the population will always be dumb, and, well… it breaks the monotony.

In my perfect world I’d close and tear out the crossings

[Missaberoad]

In my perfect world I’d close and tear out the crossings

That would make doing work over the road so much easier! You have my vote.

[wazzou]

Most towns had crossings at nearly every block at one time.
Many years later, they’ve been significantly reduced but eliminating them via bridges, either rail or road isn’t practical in a majority of towns.

[nkalanaga]

"That said, it always amazes me that 99.9% of people will sit dumbly at a red light in the middle of nowhere with no cross traffic in sight until it turns green, but can’t bring themselves to wait for a train."

Right there's one possible solution:  Put regular stop lights at the crossing!