About the Author J. D. Santucci (a.k.a. "Tuch") began his railroading career in 1978 as a trainman on the Missouri Pacific. After a round of lay-offs in 1985, Tuch embarked on a railroad odyssey, working in many different situations for different roads. This column tries to explain some of the nuts and bolts of the job and also demonstrates what we have to deal with on a regular basis within and without the industry. Tuch currently works through freights out of Chicago for Canadian National/Illinois Central. ©1999, 2003-2007 JD Santucci. Logo ©2002 The Railroad Network. By J.D. Santucci

October 18, 2004
Before we begin today's lesson, some other business to attend to;

For those of you able to attend this year, the annual operation of the Canadian National Santa Train on the Chicago Subdivision will take place on the weekend of December 11th and 12th. I don't have the schedule yet, but will pass it along to you all as soon as I get it.

Those of you that have been following this periodic little diatribe of mine know that today marks the fifteenth anniversary of my tragic collision with an automobile in 1989. In my both my life and railroad career, I have had the unique although dubious distinction of having been party to a train/motor vehicle collision from several different perspectives. Not only was I the Engineer involved with one (and actually have been involved in several); I witnessed one three years before I began to railroad. The following year, a family with which I was very close lost two teenaged children to yet another train/motor vehicle collision.

I have written about all of them in previous years but this year we will approach the topic of train/motor vehicle collisions from yet another angle; from the view of the driver involved. In this case it is from perspective of a driver that survived one.

A woman I know recounted a story to me about be involved in a "direct hit" as it were, back in her high school days. Her story will demonstrate quite clearly why you should never play foolish games with a motor vehicle anywhere, particularly at a railroad crossing.

This woman told me of her and some of her friends routinely going out cruising during their lunch period from school. This was pretty much a daily occurrence as they went out to eat as opposed to subjecting themselves to the school cafeteria food. Remembering the quality of food served at the high school I attended both freshman and sophomore year I cannot fault them for doing this.

She told me of a practical joke she would pull on her friends whenever they were out driving and caught by a train at a crossing. It seems that to spook and scare the friends, she would hold one foot on the brake pedal while then giving the car "the gas" with the other foot. This sounds like quite the harmless stunt. I'm sure we all know somebody that has done this over the years. In some cases it involved a train at a crossing but with others it has been in other situations, such as waiting at a red light.

On the day in question, this woman told me they were out on their usual midday ride for lunch. On their way back to school they were stopped by a train. As luck would have it, they were the first out car at the crossing. There were no gates at this crossing, only flashing lights and cross bucks. Our hero decided to play her favorite practical joke on the car full of friends.

She rolled to a stop as the train approached the crossing. As the second engine of the locomotive consist began to enter the crossing she decided to perform the stunt. She firmly pressed the brake pedal with one foot and then pressed the accelerator with the other. Apparently her left shoe was a little wet and it slid off the brake pedal as she hit the gas pedal. The car suddenly lurched forward and plowed directly into the fuel tank of that second locomotive. She told of it happening so fast she didn't take her foot of the accelerator. The car bounced off and then plowed right back into the locomotive hitting the set of trucks right behind the fuel tank. The car was then pushed slightly sideways. The steps right behind the rear set of trucks then clipped the car pushing it clear of the locomotive.

The Engineer on the train caught sight of what was going on and immediately put it into emergency bringing the train to a stop. The train was not going very fast at the time and stopped quickly. The lower speed was most likely a blessing to this girl and the passengers as well.

The car in which the girls were riding sustained significant damage rendering it undriveable. The girls themselves were startled and scared, but miraculously, aside from some bumps and bruises, they were not seriously injured. Well, the driver's pride was severely battered and perhaps permanently bruised.

The driver told me of the horrible sound of grinding and screeching metal and the car getting banged and tossed around several times. She told of the initial contact and then getting struck twice more in rapid succession. She went on to say they were tossed around the interior of the car and then into each other as it struck the locomotive and then the locomotive then came into contact with the car two more times. They were all scared to death and were screaming as the episode was unfolding.

When everything came to a stop, she recalled there being a few moments of total dead silence. A motorist in the car behind he then came up to her car to see if they were alright. After a member of the train crew also came to the car and made certain they were okay. Moments later, another member of the crew joined the first guy at the scene. Upon discovering they were not seriously injured, both members of the crew then proceeded to yell at her for being so foolish. She told me she was upset as these people showed no compassion toward her or her friends once they realized none of them were injured. She thought they were being mean.

They all got out of the car to assess the damage to the vehicle. The front end of the car was severely damaged rendering it undriveable. She told of "losing it" and starting to cry when she observed the damage and was the told how lucky her and her friends were to be alive after such a collision.

So now we have a rather hysterical woman, bruised and somewhat beaten with a seriously damaged car. She told of her friends also becoming somewhat hysterical. The Paramedics arrived to check them over and were able to calm them all down. Fortunately it was quickly determined that none of them required a trip to the hospital.

But now for the worst part; her parents had to be contacted and informed of the situation. As a seventeen year old, this was required. She told of this being of greater concern to her than the fact that she was within a heartbeat of getting killed just a few minutes before. It seems that dad worked nights and had to be woken up and given the news. From her description, his take on this could be worse than death.

She went on to tell of her father giving her a gigantic lecture. His tone was not one of compassion or understanding considering that his daughter nearly bought the farm. It was described as almost maniacal screaming. From all indications, he "tore her a new one" showing no mercy towards her. In addition to losing the car owing to the damages, he suspended her driving privileges for a period of time. She also had to pay for the damages in excess of what her car insurance covered.

This girl was tremendously lucky; far luckier than she'll ever know. It could have been far worse. Running into the fuel tank on the locomotive was actually a break. Had she hit in between the locomotives, it is entirely possible the car could have gotten caught and been dragged. The injuries could have been much worse. Her collision could have ended with fatal consequences.

She vividly recalled how scared she was as this situation was unfolding. She and her friends were incredibly lucky; they survived a collision with a train. Many people in her situation are not that fortunate. The odds of walking away alive yet alone without an injury of some sort are stacked greatly against the motorist that is involved in a train/motor vehicle collision.

This event brings to mind a safety promotion that Metra, the Chicago area commuter railroad was using several years ago. They posted placards in conspicuous locations in their coaches asking this simple but sobering question;

"Ever meet anybody who was hit by a train?"

So how many have you ever met?

And so it goes.

Tuch

For a look at some statistics on fatalities at crossings, you can click onto this link at the Operation Lifesaver website; http://www.oli.org/library/stats.html