COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. — Two Norfolk Southern crew members were taken to the hospital for treatment after their train struck a truck carrying a 134-foot-long concrete bridge beam and derailed, WTVC-TV reports.
The accident occurred about 1:30 p.m. in the Chattanooga suburb of Collegeville and derailed three locomotives and 10 cars. Injuries to the crew members were described as minor; the driver of the truck was not injured.
Chattanooga fire officials say the truck was stopped on the railroad tracks while waiting for a traffic light when the crossing gates activated for an approaching train, and the truck was unable to clear the crossing in time.
Was involved with an incident with an oversized load and the first thing the police did upon arriving and surveying the site was to lay into the escort drivers, especially the tail escort, “your job is to look out, the driver cannot see the entire load or situation around him”.
But at the end of the day in this case and, never stop on the tracks. These accidents with trucks on tracks happen way to often.
Reference #15 Thomas, you can say that again. I guess you did not see the news wire story (video) available. Situation: Sheriff Deputy left a car on the crossing with handcuffed person in backseat. “Attention” was distracted on another deputy’s car and the other deputy’s arresting another crook. LEFT THE CAR on the tracks! Duh. when the loco horn sounded, of course it was too late to correct the BIG mistake. The occupant handcuffed, by a miracle survived. endmrw2112221756
That was a bridge girder. Who builds bridges like that? Most likely a State D.O.T. And it was, of course, a pre-stressed concrete girder, specifically engineered for one particular installation – VERY expensive. So, some state is out a huge sum of money over this. That’s in addition to the joint-and-several liability claims that will be forthcoming. And on top of all that, somewhere there is a bridge that’s going to take a bit longer to before it can open for traffic….
Most crossings I have seen say do not stop on tracks
Pretty scary to watch the actual raw video of this event. Enough “screw ups” to go around!
I don’t care whether you are in the family sedan or an oversize load. Don’t stop on the railroad tracks, signaled or not, for any reason. Just don’t do it.
Hope the NTSB looks at this accident, which occurs fairly frequently, but usually without video like this.
Oversized truck loads of this size need tighter regulation, including no crossing of railroads at grade without provisions for positive separation of trains and trucks.
I wouldn’t be too surprised to find out Tennessee doesn’t require a police escort, but don’t know for sure. Who was the shipper? I cannot believe they would entrust a single driver (no escort or transportation coordinator) to handle this. Typically, they have a steerable bogie at the back of the beam that the rig driver can control. The driver can’t see both the back end and watching ahead while going around a corner, especially if they need to turn again. Sorry about the pregnant lady with a baby stroller standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street….
Review of comments: #10. I guess so. #9. That is not true, see following comment below. #8. same as #9. #7 see comment below EVEN if what you mentioned were done. #6 Oh you are SO CLOSE to the following story. see comment at bottom. #5 Maybe THIS education, IF in the education includes the RR being notified. The route mandated to travel, driver asks asks “any RR crossings, RR notified?, who did so and RR confirmation? Actually at that point, knowing how RR’s work, THEY (RR) would have someone there to make sure Rails are not damaged. #4 See previous advice (#5). #3 Agreed, it happened here in USA, see below. #2 see #3 and below. #1 DEAD ON, CORRECT (only flaw is delay between dispatcher and grade crossing desk at the RR). I know as a crew hauler. A Z train was on the ground from fouled track and when on the ground THEN dispatch relayed a local call about the hazard.
Now, Texas Parade Disaster: A flatbed loaded with war veterans to honor them. Of course a train hit it, killing many. (think of the nightmares the crew have after such. Cause: ANYTIME a city parade happened in that city ONE thoughtful police person would ALWAYS notify the RR. Give me a break, the driver of the truck is directed onto the rails by a cop holding traffic FOR THE PARADE. he MOTIONED THE TRAILER ONTO THE RAILS. DON’T BLAME THE DRIVER, HIS ATTENEION IS TO NOT SPILL ALL THE HONOREES OFF THE FLATBED ..whose safety HE IS IN CHARGE OF.
As it just so happened that thoughtful policeman who called the RR EVERY YEAR, he was RETIRED, of course THE CALL did not get made and the result was horrible. endmrw2112221004
Don’t they teach drivers never to enter a railroad crossing unless you can clear it? No excuse for being held up by a red light.
Tennessee…pretty much says it all
John Rice, are you at all familiar with the Commercial Drivers License requirement that the Feds instated some years back? It is rule requiring specific training for truck drivers and companies that must be fulfilled even to operate as a driver or company. It is so stringent that drivers who develop diabetes or thyroid issues have seen their licenses revoked. Seriously. There is a huge driver shortage and it is driven by these raised “standards for truck drivers, especially those with oversize or exceptional loads” that you are demanding after the fact.
Yes, I am quite aware of the CDL requirements across many states and their “exceptional” requirements. Doesn’t seem to be working eh?
Diabetes or thyroids don’t have anything to do with trucks and railroad crossings. The best way to deal with bad judgement is to provide exceptional training, repeatedly.
Yup, drive at 134-foot trailer like you’re in your Jeep Renegade bringing home the groceries.
Some people just don’t get it, call the 800 number on the crossing signal or have a flagman. Glad the crew members are Ok..
Further to my previous comment here is a link to the Wikipefia article about Hixon.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hixon_rail_crash
The subsequent enquiry lead to much better signsge at grade crossings in the UK.
This sounds like a repeat of the Hixon disaster in the UK in the 1960’s. A transformer weighing well over 100 tons got stuck on a grade crossing and got hit by a passenger train doing 100 mph. Thecloco crew and several passengers were sadly killed. Luckily there only seem to have been minor injuries here. I’m glad that the NS crew were not badly hurt.
These kinds of accidents occur far too often. The de-unionization of trucking has proven horrible.
Time to start raising the standards for truck drivers, especially those with oversize or exceptional loads.
Who would obstruct while waiting for a crossing signal when carrying a pre-stressed concrete beam?
Blast the horn, move forward and clear the crossing.
A load that size should have had a police escort to ensure safety. Obviously, they failed in their duty to do so. It is imperative, any time a special move could foul a railroad for more than 20 seconds, that the officers clear the movement with the railroad by calling the contact number posted at the crossing. Apparently, law enforcement is not being properly educated on safe crossing of railroad lines.
That had to have been a permit load. State Highway Departments, as part of approving an oversized route, should notify all railroads involved. They charge a fee for those permits; the cost of notification can be included.
In any event, the escort (a 134 foot load will have had an escort) must stop traffic before the load starts across the RR.
Let it also be known of the video on Twitter THAT THERE WAS NO CHASE or PIOLET CAR. To accompany such a large leaf as per DOT RULES
Updated news report has the Collegedale PD states there where escort vehicles front and rear and the load had been permitted by the Tennesse DoT.
Driver needs to be charged and all involved in the trucks movement be held accountable for damages.
I just seen actual video on Yahoo.com news of the collision, taken by a person in a vehicle….pretty scary.