Detroit Fire Truck Hit by Amtrak Train

[Amnorix]

Freaking brilliant.

Apparently, responding to an incident, a police car and a fire truck both decide to park on TRAIN TRACKS! The cruiser gets out of the way in the nick of time, but the truck isn't so lucky. The accident occurred on March 1st. I would certainly hope that the civil servants here are fired.

The video from the train's camera (note, video is SFW, but the website has some NSFW elements):

http://www.break.com/index/detroit-f...-by-train.html

Story here:

http://detnews.com/article/20100301/...its-fire-truck

Aftermath:

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi...3010380&Ref=AR

[Saulbadguy]

Without watching, I wonder if those vehicles "needed replaced".

[Amnorix]

One more thing -- luckily, no one was seriously injured.

[Garcia Bronco]

****ing government can't do anything right

[CoMoChief]

My dad worked for Amtrak for years and I remember going to work with a lot when I was younger. KC to STL route, when we got to STL it was around 8pm and the gate guy would let us walk into the games a lot. Also would get to drive the train in the engine room, Good times.

Also remember hitting cars, people who committ suicide. I've seen some nasty stuff. Ever see a guy up close just get completely disfigured in every way imaginable. It's nuts.

[Amnorix]

There was an interesting story in the Boston Globe about local commuter train and public transit employees who deal with suicides. Very unpleasant to read. Some train operators said some people would stare right into the train operator's eyes as the train was coming at them, and the operators of course could do nothing about stopping fast enough.

Also interviewed the investigators and "clean up crews", talked about the counseling they gave these guys, etc. Fascinating, but not pleasant, to read about.

[Demonpenz]

you are 10 times likely to see a dead body working in the train industry than you are if you are a EMT

[Goldmember]

I'm always amazed at how many cars are hit by trains and then we hear, (from those surviving the crash), "Well, the car just died" Out of millions of miles driven each year, what are the odds of a car suddenly becoming inoperative, on a train track, the moment before a train arrives?? Why does the car always seem to die ON the train track? Not before, not just after, but ON the track? This needs further investigation

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Goldmember

I'm always amazed at how many cars are hit by trains and then we hear, (from those surviving the crash), "Well, the car just died" Out of millions of miles driven each year, what are the odds of a car suddenly becoming inoperative, on a train track, the moment before a train arrives?? Why does the car always seem to die ON the train track? Not before, not just after, but ON the track? This needs further investigation

alot of the time it's because the engine stops working and the car gets stuck on the tracks, then a train comes by and boom!

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

alot of the time it's because the engine stops working and the car gets stuck on the tracks, then a train comes by and boom!

A-a-aand if, if the car turns back on and you're able to drive off the tracks, there's a good chance, you know, the accident might not happen.

[Goldmember]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

alot of the time it's because the engine stops working and the car gets stuck on the tracks, then a train comes by and boom!

But my question is WHY does the engine stop working? Is it like the scene in Close Encounters where everything goes beserk and then all power goes off? Are aliens behind these auto-train wrecks?

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Goldmember

But my question is WHY does the engine stop working? Is it like the scene in Close Encounters where everything goes beserk and then all power goes off? Are aliens behind these auto-train wrecks?

Sometimes it's because the engine has a malfunction other times it maybe a fuel problem

[Goldmember]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

Sometimes it's because the engine has a malfunction other times it maybe a fuel problem

Is it bad gas?

[Fairplay]

Originally Posted by Goldmember

Is it bad gas?

Yes it was. I have it now coincidently, keeps unwanted guests away.

[brorth]

Originally Posted by Goldmember

I'm always amazed at how many cars are hit by trains and then we hear, (from those surviving the crash), "Well, the car just died" Out of millions of miles driven each year, what are the odds of a car suddenly becoming inoperative, on a train track, the moment before a train arrives?? Why does the car always seem to die ON the train track? Not before, not just after, but ON the track? This needs further investigation

As of 2006, U.S. freight railroads operated 140,490 route-miles (226,097 km) of standard gauge in the United States.

As of 2006[update], The Interstate Highway System has a total length of 46,876 miles (75,440 km).

There are over 222,002 railroad crossings in the United States, of which more than 137,359 intersect with public roads.

I'm no statistician, but I'd say the odds are better than I thought.

BTW-
Year 2001: 3,237 accidents resulting in 421 deaths and more than 1,100 serious injuries
Year 2002: 3,077 accidents resulting in 357 killed and over 999 serious injuries (Far exceeding casualties in the commercial airline industry in an average year)
Year 2003: 2,928 accidents resulting in 324 deaths and over 998 serious injuries for a total of 1,322 total casualties
Year 2004: 3,063 accidents resulting in 368 deaths and over 1,081 serious injuries
Year 2005: 3,010 accidents resulting in 355 deaths and over 970 serious injuries
Year 2006: 2,911 accidents resulting in 366 deaths and over 1,005 serious injuries
Year 2007: 2,742 accidents resulting in 339 deaths and over 1,012 serious injures
Year 2008: 2,395 accidents resulting in 287 deaths and over 936 serious injures (as of 4/30/09)