VA - Amtrak Train hits garbage truck, 1 killed, Crozet, Jan 2018 *civil suit in 2021*

[CARIIS]

Mr. Cassidy said he had been told, but could not officially confirm, that the truck was trying to beat the train to cross the tracks and did not make it. He said people in the area say there are a lot of long, slow-moving coal trains that people become impatient with and try to beat before being stuck. The Amtrak train, however, was apparently traveling at a much faster speed than a cargo train would go.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/1/bill-cassidy-says-the-one-fatality-in-train-accide/

just ramblings:

More interesting stuff but i think gate down onset would be timed based on the rated speed limit on that area of track.

Malfunction would seem more likely than gate running. If you throw in the height of the truck that too seems to point to Malfunction more than speed stuff. but interesting notions are coming forth that are all least giving us notions as to why crossing equipment was not mutilated.

 

[Hatfield]

JMO
Its sounding more and more to me that this video re-enactment is probably right. Especially if gate was malfunctioning like neighbor said.

The re-enactment video is at 2:30 and notice how late the gate comes down after the truck passes gate area.

[video=youtube;fv8pdEllo6M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv8pdEllo6M[/video]

 

[Gardenista]

Investigators say one of the two passengers in the truck, 28-year-old Christopher Foley, died from injuries sustained from the crash.

http://wtvr.com/2018/01/31/louisa-county-man-killed-in-amtrak-train-garbage-truck-collision/

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

I think we now know why the arms came down so late. According to a person living near the accident, the gates were not working right.

This could also explain why the truck driver had no idea the train was coming. If gates came down late like the video then he thought it was clear.

"A man who lives near the railroad crossing where a train carrying Republican lawmakers struck a garbage truck says the crossing arms have not been working correctly.

Benny Layne said the truck landed on his property Wednesday after it collided with the Amtrak train near Crozet, Virginia.

Layne told The Associated Press that he has recently seen lines of cars stopped at the crossing, with the crossing arms lowered even though no train was approaching. He said motorists would get out of their cars to help guide other motorists around the malfunctioning arms so they could cross the tracks."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...3391373867e_story.html?utm_term=.865d58b5b949

RBBM

The neighbor says the crossing arms would lower even with no train coming.

A likely scenario could be that the crossing arms lowered and the driver thinking it was a malfunction went around the barrier and was struck very soon after. That might explain why they didn't have time to exit the truck. Just another possibility.

 

[PrairieWind]

It would seem to me that the engineer should be able to explain pretty much what happened. He would be able to tell if the garbage truck was trying to maneuver around the gates if they were down or if the truck was stopped on the tracks or if it was just trying to cross normally. It must be gut wrenching for train engineers in accidents like this. They have a front row seat, see it all unfold right in front of them knowing there isn't a thing they can do to stop. Plus the very real possibility of being seriously injured themselves.

I had earlier made a post that someone on the train indicated that the train began braking before impact. However, this morning I not only see no mention of that but others on board saying that the first indication of trouble was the impact. So that would seem to imply that the engineer had little or no warning. I would think that rules out the idea that the truck was stuck on the tracks. I have not heard any report either way as to whether the train's horn was sounding as they approached the crossing.

 

[Spellbound]

https://www.wsls.com/news/national/train-carrying-gop-lawmakers-to-policy-retreat-hits-truck

A National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said investigators will spend several days at the Virginia site of crash between a truck and a train that was carrying dozens of Republican congressmen.Speaking at a news conference Wednesday night, NTSB spokesman Earl Weener said he doesn't expect the agency to release a probable cause of the deadly crash for several months.
Responding to reports from nearby residents that crossing equipment had been malfunctioning, Weener said signal experts would be looking at the safety of the crossing.

 

[PrairieWind]

I believe the railroad is responsible for the crossing gates and lights. Who owns the tracks?

 

[Spellbound]

Did the crossing arms malfunction? According to some who drive the area regularly, it was a common occurrence:


https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/train-carrying-gop-lawmakers-strikes-trash-truck-1-killed/2018/01/31/7ab0788c-06e4-11e8-aa61-f3391373867e_story.html?utm_term=.9a12faf5eaea

 

[Spellbound]

https://wtop.com/virginia/2018/01/crossing-deadly-train-wreck-site-warning-signals/[FONT=&amp]

—crossing where equipped with two advance warning signs, two roadway gate arms, two mast-mounted flashing lights and a bell to warn of an approaching train.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]—-3 freight trains pass through the intersection during the day and 2 at night, on average; passenger trains don’t go through very often – an average of less than one per day.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]—- maximum speed for trains crossing the intersection is 60 miles per hour.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]—-One accident report filed by CSX Transportation in 1999: train hit a vehicle stuck between the rails at the crossing. No injuries reported, damage train’s engine and the vehicle ( 70-year-old woman who got out of her car before the train hit)[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]—- man who lives near the railroad crossing said the crossing arms have not been working correctly. He said the truck landed on his property [/FONT]

 

[PrairieWind]

Right now I would have to say a signal/gate malfunction is the most likely, it fits the facts we know. The garbage truck driver just didn't see the train coming. I think we should probably have a pretty good idea with in the next few days.

 

[MsFacetious]

Well someone is going to get sued if that's true that the crossing arms haven't been working correctly.
It's like crying wolf. When they actually come down legitimately no one will believe it.
Was a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Spellbound]

Right now I would have to say a signal/gate malfunction is the most likely, it fits the facts we know. The garbage truck driver just didn't see the train coming. I think we should probably have a pretty good idea with in the next few days.

‘According to this article, an investigtion is expected to take 12-14 months

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...8b8600ade23_story.html?utm_term=.9fc65c5c0d4e

Federal investigators said Thursday that data gathered from an Amtrak train carrying Republican lawmakers that hit a garbage truck near Crozet, Va., on Wednesday indicates that the engineer activated the emergency brake and the train came to a full stop 20 seconds later.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) haven’t determined what caused the crash but said they are hopeful they will be able to recover footage from the train’s front-facing camera, which could offer insight on whether the truck was moving at the time of impact and whether the signal system at the crossing was functioning properly.
Pete Kotowski, the NTSB’s lead investigator at the site, said officials have interviewed one Amtrak crew member and hope to speak with the train engineer and truck driver in coming days. They also have interviewed four witnesses, some of whom indicated there may have been previous problems with the crossing signals.

Officials said the investigation could take 12 to 14 months to complete.

the article also says the disposal company is being investigated for their safety record, and are being cooperative.

Today at Time Disposal we find ourselves in shock,” officials wrote in a post on the company’s Facebook page. “Yesterday we lost an employee and a brother, his one year old son and mother of his child lost a father. . . . May he rest in peace, you will be missed by many Chris

.”

 

[FindHG]

[video=youtube;i9fPD_nmwLE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9fPD_nmwLE[/video]
"NTSB hold news conference on Amtrak train crash"
PBS NewsHour
Streamed live 5 hours ago

 

[j_in_c]

I was offline today and catching up. The tracks are owned by buckingham branch. I wasn’t aware of the malfunction, but I go running past that crossing more often than I drive it. I saw a train today when coming home so the tracks are active and open again.

As a sidenote, a (legitimate) go fund me was set up for the worker who was killed and it has already raised close to $50k with almost 1000 ppl contributing, a testament to how valued and appreciated this crew was and is.

I’ll catch up more tomorrow.

 

[Betty P]

sadly derailing does not always slow em uch
Keep in mind this video below is multiple cars detailing

and in this one the derailment of the lead locomotive was more like a little bump off the track as the train got to very slow speeds .

You can tell by the pic of it it might be listing a little-- I don't even think the rear wheels of the locomotive left the tracks

if it was serious derail they would not have been able to uncouple and take it back brake lines would have been ripped etc

the first car behind the locomotive had to remain on the rails because they just decoupled and left.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJrCza9iSQw

rerailing is extraordinary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwG2OM0XMDI

This is a derailed train!

The wheels just kinda come off a tiny bit in some derailing accidents

the noises in slow derailings are excoriated.

no one even knew the lead was off the track for a long time nor did anyone inside describe anything other than a slam if that makes sense

most of the times . understandably survivors describe a (depending on the type of derailment ) a sensation of knowing it is starting to leave the tracks before the actual derailment sequence begins .

No such sensation was reported nor were there any reports indicating the lead locomotive had totally derailed .

They will learn a lot by speeds.

They do have the equivalent of cockpit voice recorders on them (event recorders)

they will get a ton of prelims pretty fast and they are astoundingly transparent.

No speculation but they will tell us everything they KNOW the instant they know it .

A refreshing notion!!

I saw a photo of the lead locomotive yesterday from an angle that showed at least some of the wheels were sitting just on the outside of the rail. Not enough to tip it much or turn over, but it was derailed. Yeah, they rerailed it and probably took it to the closest yard. When I was following the tracks on google earth yesterday, I saw a yard some miles west of there, so possibly there. It's a busy line and I'm sure they needed to clear it ASAP for other traffic.

ETA: Thanks for the video, those guys are using a rerailing frog. I found another video on you tube showing a crew rerailing a locomotive using wooden wedges. Wow, doing it old school. It worked!

 

[CARIIS]

I saw a photo of the lead locomotive yesterday from an angle that showed at least some of the wheels were sitting just on the outside of the rail. Not enough to tip it much or turn over, but it was derailed. Yeah, they rerailed it and probably took it to the closest yard. When I was following the tracks on google earth yesterday, I saw a yard some miles west of there, so possibly there. It's a busy line and I'm sure they needed to clear it ASAP for other traffic.

ETA: Thanks for the video, those guys are using a rerailing frog. I found another video on you tube showing a crew rerailing a locomotive using wooden wedges. Wow, doing it old school. It worked!

Its amazing stuff isnt

 

[CARIIS]

I believe the railroad is responsible for the crossing gates and lights. Who owns the tracks?

Pretty sure the railroad does not maintain crossing equipment . It is whoever owns the segments of track at that area.

 

[CARIIS]

https://www.wsls.com/news/national/train-carrying-gop-lawmakers-to-policy-retreat-hits-truck

bit of a bummer that the signaling box was destroyed by the truck.

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http://www.timedisposalinc.com/commercial/



CommercialDriver LicenseManual

https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/dmv60a.pdf

The way the two trucks removed from serivice sounds like it was like a pull over , inspect, and tell them to get the truck off the road I think not sure !

anyone have any idea how to get the actual reports on the two vehicles removed?

[/FONT]

 

[CARIIS]

Every year the NTSB puts out a wish list of the most important safety improvements they want.

Here is the latest one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHl2o145YyQ

 

[PrairieWind]

‘According to this article, an investigtion is expected to take 12-14 months

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...8b8600ade23_story.html?utm_term=.9fc65c5c0d4e


the article also says the disposal company is being investigated for their safety record, and are being cooperative.

.”[/FONT][/COLOR]

Oh I am sure the NTSB investigation will take at least that long. They are very thorough. But I am sure many of the details of what happened will come out from other sources pretty soon. The engineer saw what happened as did the other guy son the trash truck and there may be other witnesses. They will tell their stories to reporters I assume. Have we heard about the conditions of the other guys on the garbage truck? How badly were they injured? That collision must have been incredibly violent.