Railroad News

Railroad Crossing News from Across the Nation

An Ideal World - (5/1/2008) Authorities in Arkansas are doing a half-hearted investigation of a railroad crossing fatality that likely happened because the crossing did not have lights or gates.  Spokesman for the transportation department, Glen Bolick said "In an ideal world 100 percent of (those intersections) would have active warning."  He goes on to state that this crossing and 70 percent of other dangerous railroad crossings will not be equipped with lights or gates.  Why?  According to Bolick, the transportation department looks at a variety of factors when determining which crossings get lights and gates, including the number of accidents that have happened at the train crossing.  So several people may have to die before the transportation department even considers putting lights and gates at a railroad crossing.  Shouldn't railroad companies accept some of the burden of installing lights and gates at railroad crossings?  After all, they are using private trains to cross public roads for an ever-increasing profit.  You decide.

WA Girl Killed by Train - (4/23/2008) A 17 year old girl from Kent, Washington was struck and killed by a train this week.  The train crossing had no lights or gates or "crossing control" of any kind. Investigators have simply determined that she was not paying attention to the oncoming train.  She may have been distracted by her cell phone. Unfortunately, the one distraction that could have saved her life - lights and gates at the railroad crossing - was not there.  This is the latest example of a pedestrian train crossing accident that could have been prevented with simple lights and gates.

Is Illinois Coming to Its Senses? - (4/14/08) Illinois is on the verge of installing lights and gates at a railroad crossing where a man was killed earlier this year. When the accident occurred there was nothing more than a crossbuck at the crossing; a stop-sign has since been added to prevent train accidents, but nothing has proved to more effective than lights and gates.  It is tragic that a man had to lose his life to precipitate the installation of basic safety mechanisms that should have been installed as soon as the technology became available. The rest of Illinois and the country should follow suit. Illiopolis mayor, Bonnie Peyton, accurately stated, "That was a senseless loss of life." All railroad crossing accidents that occur because of inadequate safety are senseless.

Madison Man Killed by Train - (4/14/08) Reports indicate that a Madison man was killed when his vehicle became stuck at a railroad crossing. His passenger is said to have survived with "serious injuries." The railroad crossing is reported to have been "unsecured," which indicates that it had neither lights nor gates to warn motorists. The remaining details about the crossing and the other circumstances surrounding the fatality have yet to surface. Testimony of the witness who survived this train crossing accident will be crucial to determining the facts.

Two Accidents Same Day Same Crossing - (4/3/08) Two separate train wrecks that happened at the same Mississippi railroad crossing on the same day resulted in the death of one man and the critical injury of a woman. The first crossing accident occurred in the morning, injuring the woman.  The second railroad crossing accident happened in the afternoon, leaving a man dead and his SUV demolished. Unsafe railroad crossings are always unsafe, and unfortunately an accident can happen at one any time.  These two train crashes prove that fact. The question is how many more fatalities will Mississippi see before lights and gates are installed at this dangerous crossing?

Delaware Man Hit by Train - (3/25/2008)  An architect employed with a Kansas City firm contracted to work for Amtrak was struck and killed by an Amtrak train in Providence last week. The man who died is said to have been working alongside three other men, one of whom was seriously injured. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the railroad accident.  This report estimates that a full Federal investigation will take up to one year to complete. So far reports indicate that the curvature of the railroad track may have contributed to this train accident. Amtrak has reported that the train was moving slower than the posted 55 mph limit.

Iraq Veteran Killed in Train Accident - (3/18/2008)  A military MP stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, who served two tours in Iraq, was struck and killed by a train in Chapman, Kansas last weekend. As has been the case in several recent train accidents, this was a pedestrian-train accident. Please click the link for additional information about the young man whose life was cut short.

Crossing Accident Injures Two - (3/14/2008)  A busy highway in Missouri has seen a number of accidents at one of its railroad crossings over the years. Two women were recently injured in a 3 vehicle accident near Columbia. This and various other railroad crossing accidents have happened here due to the 70 mph speed limit and the fact that certain vehicles like school buses and fuel trucks, by law, have to stop at the crossing.  Although accidents of this nature have been happening at this crossing for over a decade, MDoT is only now considering adding a flashing light to warn motorists of halted traffic.

Two Survive Horrific Car-Train Wreck - (3/3/2008) A town is amazed after seeing the remains of an almost unrecognizeable Land Rover that was hit by a train going over 50 mph. Fortunately their amazement is not at the destruction but at the fact that the two occupants lived through the railroad crossing accident. This train accident happened at a crossing with no gates, as we so often see. It is, however, rare that the occupants of such a railroad accident survive.  Unfortunately, we cannot depend on luck for survival; lights and gates save lives - plain and simple.

Woman Hit While Walking Dog - (02/25/2008)  A New Jersey woman was struck and killed by a train at Sixth and Railroad street in Emmaus.  The train was able to stop six blocks after impact and was not put into emergency mode. This railroad crossing previously had no lights or gates. Reports indicate that flashing lights and gates had recently been installed.  The crossing accident is said to have occurred at 10:39 p.m. The odd timing may warrant further investigation. No known reports have been made regarding the accessibility of this railroad crossing for pedestrians.

It Took a Fatality - (02/17/2008) WEST FRANKFORT, IL: For years level-headed citizens of this Illinois town had lobbied to get lights and gates installed at this dangerous railroad crossing.  It was not until a popular community member lost his life last month that any action was taken, however.  This train accident and others at this railroad crossing could have been prevented had the railroad company taken its proper responsibility to protect the motorists in the city through which it frequently travels.

Train Kills One in Texas - (02/08/2008) A 26 year old woman and her 27 year old boyfriend got their car stuck on the railroad tracks on a foggy night in Buda, Texas. She was killed, and her boyfriend was critically injured in the train accident. Although officials are still unsure about the specifics, we know the railroad crossing had only a stop sign to warn motorists of oncoming trains. A worn stop sign on a foggy night is hardly enough to protect drivers from the certain death that will occur in a car vs. train accident. Bright, flashing lights and bells could have prevented this accident, but unfortunately one more person has lost her life due to a negligent railroad company.

Railroad Company Looks to Cameras - (01/29/2008) The northern California train company, Caltrain, is preparing to fund half a million dollars worth of cameras on their trains.  There were 111 railroad related deaths in California "in the first 10 months of 2007."  Now railroad officials want to add cameras to their trains to help investigate train accidents. For half a million dollars, they could add dozens of lights and protective gates to dangerous railroad crossings across the state.  Railroad companies rarely come up with the funds for improving their crossings, but apparently finding money to help investigate their growing number of accidents is no problem.

Woman Hit by Coal Train - (01/25/2008) A Missouri woman was killed in a train crossing accident near Jefferson City, Missouri.  Reports claim her car tire was stuck between two railroad ties; she was killed trying to get her car out of the situation.  Union Pacific officials have given limited statements on the train accident, and nothing has been said about the condition of the crossing.  Statistically, it is unlikely the railroad crossing had lights or gates.  It is also likely that Union Pacific did not keep the railroad crossing in good condition; there should never be a circumstance in which a driver is stuck on the tracks.  Further investigation into this tragic train accident is needed.

Louisiana Teen Killed at Crossing -- (01/18/2008) A 17 Bossier City resident was killed at a railroad crossing without crossing arms this Thursday.  Lights and bells were reportedly working, but such equipment has malfunctioned in the past.  The boy's Kia Optima was pushed 300 yards from the point of impact.  Paramedics attempted to revive him, but the accident was too severe.  Another railroad crossing accident occurred here last August, but fortunately the driver survived that crash.

California Family Sues Railroad -- (01/11/2008) One family is suing Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway over a dangerous railroad crossing in Kern County, California, which claimed the life of their husband and father.  They claim the railroad company knew that the crossing was dangerous but chose to do nothing about it.  Commissioners for Kern County have improved the road leading up to the crossing, and the railroad company has since put crossing arms up to prevent further train accidents.  However, at the time of the accident and other fatal accidents that have occurred at the crossing, proper safety measures were not taken by the railroad.

Illinois Teen Killed by Amtrak Train -- (01/04/2008) A seventeen-year-old male was struck and killed by an Amtrak train near Finley, Illinois just before Christmas.  He and another passenger we crossing the railroad tracks when the 100 passenger commuter train struck their vehicle.  The condition of the other passenger is unknown.

Michigan Tests Latest Railroad Safety Technology -- (12/19/2007)  Michigan is testing the latest technology in railroad crossing safety.  According to the linked news report, "in 2006, there were 72 train/vehicle crashes in Michigan, resulting in 11 fatalities and 19 injuries."  Michigan's response has been to install barriers that rise up from the road after crossing arms deploy, which deters drivers from going around the protective gates.  The testing is in its preliminary stages; look for more on this site later.

Crossings Help New Mexico -- (12/06/2007)  After two ungated railroad crossings claimed the lives of three people in a single month, New Mexico is negotiating for lights and gates at certain private crossings.  The Mid-Region Council of Governments near Belen, New Mexico are working to reduce railroad accidents in their area, and they have determined that gated crossings are the best method of achieving their goal.  Click on the link for additional information.

California Mayor Speaks for Brother -- (11/30/2007)  The mayor of Delano, California lost his brother to a dangerous railroad crossing Monday, and now he has something to say about it.  The railroad company, as always, claims the driver was not paying attention, but Pedro Rios knows better.  He knew his brother better than that, and he also knows that the railroad crossing where his brother was killed is dangerous.  We will monitor his efforts to publicly question the railroad's policies.

Student Killed at Treacherous Crossing -- (11/23/2007) He was a hard working high school senior in Illinois. He had a girlfriend he adored and a family who cherished him. His future was looking bright, but it all ended in a split second when an Amtrak train, going 78 mph, blindsided the SUV he was driving.  There was nothing more than a yield sign warning drivers forced to cross two sets of train tracks running parallel to the road.  As we all too commonly see, a train parked on one set of railroad tracks prevented the driver from seeing the second train.  There has been an outpouring of support in this Illinois community where numerous people have lost loved ones to train accidents.

California Pedestrian Killed at Crossing -- (11/15/2007) In an area where at least two sets of railroad tracks run parallel to each other, a pedestrian was struck and killed as he walked across the tracks.  After one train passed, the 31 year old man started crossing the railroad tracks.  He was then hit by the second train, an Amtrak train traveling at 70 mph.  Apparently the victim was unable to hear or see the second train because of the first train.  He was crossing the railroad tracks to get to work as he did every morning.

Illinois Man Killed at Crossing -- (11/08/2007)  A Camp Point, Illinois man was struck and killed by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train around 5 am last Sunday.  The crossing did not have warning gates, and it is unknown whether there were functional warning lights.  The victim is survived by his wife and two young children.  The accident is to be investigated further.

Illinois State Student Killed by Amtrak Train -- (11/02/2007) David Hirsch, a junior at Illinois State University, was struck by an Amtrak train as he crossed the railroad tracks at an appropriate crossing area.  The campus shares space with a major traffic hub, which places students at greater risk of being involved in railroad crossing accidents than most universities.  The accident is being investigated further.

Kansas Brothers Killed at Crossing -- (10/26/2007)  Two teenage brothers from Pittsburg, Kansas were killed at a railroad crossing.  Their father was driving the van, whose backend was struck by the train as he crossed the tracks.  They boys' sister was flown to a Missouri hospital where she was listed in "guarded" condition.  Their mother, another sister, and their father were all three treated and released at a local hospital.  The train was a 104 car Union Pacific freight train.  There have been no reports on the condition of the railroad crossing or whether the driver had a clear view of the oncoming train. 

Young Mother Killed by Train in Georgia -- (10/11/2007)  The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and CSX Railroad agreed several years ago that a railroad crossing in Chatham County Georgia needed to be upgraded, meaning it needed to have lights and gates installed.  Unfortunately, this never happened and the consequences of CSX Railroad's lack of action are grave.  A young mother of two was struck and killed by a train at a crossing equipped only with a stop sign.  The National Transportation Safety Board reports that over half of all fatal railroad accidents occur at crossings like this one, with no lights or gates.  CSX was pressured by GDOT no less than one year ago to install censors at the crossing, a preliminary to lights and gates, but nothing came of it.  Now a person has died as a result of a dangerous railroad crossing, and Chatham County, Georgia officials want someone to take responsibility.

Pedestrian Killed by Train in Hays, Kansas -- (10/05/2007)  A coal train running through the middle of Hays, Kansas struck and killed a pedestrian today. With Oktoberfest heating up, Hays will have considerably more traffic, both vehicle and pedestrian, with which to contend.  This is reflective of a much larger problem nationwide.  As both train and car traffic increase, our railroad crossings will be used more, increasing the chances of an accident.  This will require a commitment to safety from the railroad industry that is yet to be seen.  The technology exists for safer railroad crossings; it is merely not implemented yet.

South Carolina Man Killed at Crossing -- (09/28/2007) A local carpenter and family man in Columbia, South Carolina was killed this week when his vehicle was struck by a fast-moving train at a crossing with no lights or gates.  Investigators working for the railroad company involved in the accident are said to be confused about why this happened.  The obvious answer seems to be that the crossing was unprotected and unsafe.  A witness to the accident says "the train was going fast - he was really traveling."  The train's speed was likely excessive for the area, given that the accident happened in town, which would make judging the train's distance from the crossing incredibly difficult for the driver.  However, the railroad company's "investigators" are probably content to remain confused rather than put some responsibility on the railroad, which should have installed lights and gates at this railroad crossing in the first place.

Brave Teen Saves Woman at Confusing Crossing -- (09/21/2007)  At a railroad crossing that Chicago residents call "confusing" a brave teen has saved a woman who was stuck on the tracks.  Apparently the train crossing resembles a regular street, and drivers often turn onto to it assuming the same.  Although there are lights and gates, drivers are sometimes forced to stop on the tracks due to traffic signals.  This woman most certainly would have died had this young teen not taken the initiative and risked his own life to save her from an oncoming train.  The woman's car was hit by the train and destroyed, spreading debris throughout the area.

Girl's Death Prompts Crossing Arms -- (09/14/2007) A man in a small Illinois town will sleep a little better at night knowing the dangerous railroad crossing where his daughter was killed last year will now be equipped with crossing arms.  He says he will never forget the day he lost his 13 year old daughter in a railroad accident.  After his daughter's death, Kenneth Calvert devoted all of his time to pressuring officials to make this railroad crossing safer.  The Illinois Commerce Commission has now given Illinois Central Railroad one year to install crossing arms at the crossing.

Two Die at Busy New Mexico Crossing -- (08/29/2007) A brother and sister were killed at a busy railroad crossing while on their way to their mother's funeral last Friday, August 24th.  Their vehicle was one of several in a procession of other family members.  The Rail Runner Express train is believed to have been traveling at or below the speed limit, which is 79 mph in that area.  Members of the community have been actively trying to have lights and gates installed at this private crossing because of its heavy use and apparent danger.  The railroad crossing is said to be used frequently by school busses, firetrucks, and other motorists.  This horrific and particularly saddening railroad accident will hopefully serve as a wake-up call to FRA officials and the city of Los Chavez.