Parents killed, newborn survives car crash

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And the baby wasn't in a car seat?! A sad story and a miracle.
 
He was my ex boyfriend.

I am sad for the families, but, I just can't cry for him yet. I guess I'm still angry?

Pray for Skylar.
 
From the article:
The crossing has no warning lights or crossbars to indicate a train is approaching and to block access.

Initially I thought perhaps he had gone around the gate or tried to beat the gate. I simply can not understand having NO warning what so ever for trains. I know people complain when trains sound their horns, but NO warning system? What harm would lights be? I hope whoever runs this line installs a light system after this tragic accident.

This is so sad. Indeed a miracle the baby survived. In this case had the baby been strapped into a car seat he probably would not have. My prayers for the baby and surving family. What a tremendous loss at a time which should be joyful.
 
Cubby said:
Initially I thought perhaps he had gone around the gate or tried to beat the gate. I simply can not understand having NO warning what so ever for trains.
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The article said this:

Authorities estimated the train was traveling at 17 to 20 mph and that the wreck was caused by a combination of Brady initially not seeing the train and his then trying to beat it to the crossing. The crossing has no warning lights or crossbars to indicate a train is approaching and to block access.

It sounds like this was another case of a driver trying to beat the train. Considering their six day old baby, the father could have been tired and not thinking clearly.

I live in a rural state and there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of railroad crossings in my state that only have a sign, no gate or lights. There's lots of four way intersections with only a stop sign as well. People who live in rural areas don't usually expect the same level of warnings that people who live in urban areas live with. It's just not fiscally possible to install and maintain lights, gates, etc, and the general opinion is that they are really not needed.
 
Grainne Dhu said:
The article said this:

Authorities estimated the train was traveling at 17 to 20 mph and that the wreck was caused by a combination of Brady initially not seeing the train and his then trying to beat it to the crossing. The crossing has no warning lights or crossbars to indicate a train is approaching and to block access.

It sounds like this was another case of a driver trying to beat the train. Considering their six day old baby, the father could have been tired and not thinking clearly.

I live in a rural state and there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of railroad crossings in my state that only have a sign, no gate or lights. There's lots of four way intersections with only a stop sign as well. People who live in rural areas don't usually expect the same level of warnings that people who live in urban areas live with. It's just not fiscally possible to install and maintain lights, gates, etc, and the general opinion is that they are really not needed.
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I understand not having rails, but how expensive would it be to install lights? In rural areas how fast do trains usually travel? The only area we don't have rails, but do have lights are in industrial area's where a train might stop.

As for the dad trying to beat the train. My initial thoughts in combination of things which occur with a newborn -and- he noticed the train at that split second your brain asks can I stop in time or can I make it. It's happened to me several times while approaching a yellow light. Then again, I don't know how long a train would take to clear a crossing traveling 17-20 mph. Here outside of Chicago we have had to change laws on how long an intersection can be blocked by a train because people have died in ambulences while waiting for a train to finish passing.
 
zelmajane said:
He was my ex boyfriend.

I am sad for the families, but, I just can't cry for him yet. I guess I'm still angry?

Pray for Skylar.
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zelmanjane, I am so very sorry. Anger is just the 1st thing you will be feeling.
It will get better! Hoping you'll be able to attend the funeral for the parents.

Praying the little baby makes it!

xxxxxxxxxxoooooo
mama
 
Poor baby. Zelmanjane, did your ex-boyfriend or his fiance have family that will be able to take care Skylar once he hopefully is out of the hospital.

I'm with the rest of you, why couldn't there be some type of warning at this railroad track? The only thing I think anyone could be angry about is why was mom sitting in the back holding her son and didn't have him in a car seat. Of course this may have been one of the rare times that the baby might have been better off without being in one. Maybe if he had he would have died in the car with his mom and dad.

So sad. Two young people beginning their little family.
 
So very sad. I hope the baby makes it.

When we came home from NY once on Amtrak, we were delayed in Virginia by a car/train crash (not our train) but the intersection had lights and alarms.
 
lizzybeth said:
Poor baby. Zelmanjane, did your ex-boyfriend or his fiance have family that will be able to take care Skylar once he hopefully is out of the hospital.
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I know his parents have the means to take care of the child, and I know his mother would be more than willing to do so.

He was an only child.

As for her family, I did not know them, I had met her. I do not think her family was well off by any stretch.

Brannon had his own businesses, the car he was in was a Cadillac.

I fear that her family will be angry, and since they weren't married yet, they will have rights to Skylar. I hope they don't keep him away from the Brady family, that will break his Mothers heart.

As for him- He was an awful driver. I think that is where my anger comes from. He was wild. One of my friends and I talked about all the times we screamed while riding with him.

Crystal was a really sweet girl, and I don't know anyone who was more excited to be parents than they were.

Keep praying for Skylar, and thanks for your kind words.
 
ZelmaJane

I fear that her family will be angry, and since they weren't married yet, they will have rights to Skylar. I hope they don't keep him away from the Brady family, that will break his Mothers heart.

This many not be the case if he signed the birth certificate or a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity at the hospital. I too hope the two families cooperate with the baby. Would be even sadder if they did not.
 
Oh No. I was hoping for a miracle for this baby. Prayers to the family and friends.
 
It is just awful.

Keep the families in your prayers.
 
zelmajane, I'm saying prayers for both families and also for you.
 
Cubby said:
I understand not having rails, but how expensive would it be to install lights?
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Pretty expensive. One of those traffic light bulbs is something like $600 to replace. Not the whole fixture, that's just the bulb. That's from my last township meeting; there's exactly one stop light in the unincorporated parts of my county and the total budget is less than $40K/year.

Plus there would be the ongoing cost of powering it and of maintaining the equipment.

In rural areas how fast do trains usually travel?
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They can go as fast as 50-60 miles per hour.

The issue comes up every four or five years at the annual township meeting but so far, no one really wants to have to pay for it (not even local politicians ever want to be caught voting for taxes). The biggest argument against is that there has never been a vehicle-train collision at any of the railroad crossings in our county that only have signs.

When I say rural, I mean that we don't even have our county government online! The county website is paid for by the county and one of the county officials maintains it from her home computer. Rural counties have to be very careful with their money.
 
I don't understand why anyone would try and beat a train- especially with their baby and mother of the baby in the car with them. Were they arguing or something that would either anger him into wanting to beat the train or distract him? I'm guessing the mother was holding the baby while they drove.
My prayers for their families.
 
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