NJT Montclair/Boonton Line Train Hits Trailer

Was there an other way to get to where the paint was to be delivered,without using that crossing
Is this the only legal way to get to this industrial area?
If this was a result of bad GPS directions,figure on who supplied the GPS software is on the hook for this,
along with the driver,trucking co.

Looks like the grade crossing near where main street, fairfield ave, and zeliff ave converge RR west of the little falls station.

Backshophoss wrote:Was there an other way to get to where the paint was to be delivered,without using that crossing
Is this the only legal way to get to this industrial area?
If this was a result of bad GPS directions,figure on who supplied the GPS software is on the hook for this,
along with the driver,trucking co.

They should have used a combo trailer for a delivery with such a tight turn.

Any word on the engineer? He was listed as one of the injured (obviously).

glennk419 wrote:Any word on the engineer? He was listed as one of the injured (obviously).

There is the possibility that the employee listed in serious condition was standing up by the cab when the door was knocked inward. If this is the case, i hope they have a speedy recovery.

On a positive note, the damage could have been a lot worse, and i think the car will be put back into service once they cycle it through repairs. Who knows how long that will take though.

Backshophoss wrote:Was there an other way to get to where the paint was to be delivered,without using that crossing
Is this the only legal way to get to this industrial area?
If this was a result of bad GPS directions,figure on who supplied the GPS software is on the hook for this,
along with the driver,trucking co.

Really? The driver was on a main road that sees regular truck traffic. The only person at fault here is the driver. If he had any kind of sense in the world he would have continued down the road to find a more suitable location to turn around. GPS systems don't tell you to make tight turns with 53' trailers in close proximity to railroad crossings.

25Hz wrote:

glennk419 wrote:Any word on the engineer? He was listed as one of the injured (obviously).

There is the possibility that the employee listed in serious condition was standing up by the cab when the door was knocked inward. If this is the case, i hope they have a speedy recovery.

On a positive note, the damage could have been a lot worse, and i think the car will be put back into service once they cycle it through repairs. Who knows how long that will take though.

The engineer is listed in "serious condition." Being that, who cares if the cab car comes back into service? Is it really that important? Based on the photos I've seen, the bulkhead door failed to do it's job and is most likely the primary reason for the injuries sustained by the crew and passengers. Sometimes you train buffs just don't get it.

Sorry to hear about the engineer and the crossing guard.

Cab car first.... most likely it was a Comet V. Not a good scenario. The truck driver made a serious mistake. He'll be the one found at fault.

As for some of the other comments in here.... I'll just walk away and leave it at that.

sullivan1985 wrote:

Backshophoss wrote:Was there an other way to get to where the paint was to be delivered,without using that crossing
Is this the only legal way to get to this industrial area?
If this was a result of bad GPS directions,figure on who supplied the GPS software is on the hook for this,
along with the driver,trucking co.

Really? The driver was on a main road that sees regular truck traffic. The only person at fault here is the driver. If he had any kind of sense in the world he would have continued down the road to find a more suitable location to turn around. GPS systems don't tell you to make tight turns with 53' trailers in close proximity to railroad crossings.

25Hz wrote:

glennk419 wrote:Any word on the engineer? He was listed as one of the injured (obviously).

There is the possibility that the employee listed in serious condition was standing up by the cab when the door was knocked inward. If this is the case, i hope they have a speedy recovery.

On a positive note, the damage could have been a lot worse, and i think the car will be put back into service once they cycle it through repairs. Who knows how long that will take though.

The engineer is listed in "serious condition." Being that, who cares if the cab car comes back into service? Is it really that important? Based on the photos I've seen, the bulkhead door failed to do it's job and is most likely the primary reason for the injuries sustained by the crew and passengers. Sometimes you train buffs just don't get it.

Sully if I remember hearing correctly didn't the bulkhead door give way and as a result a lot of paint cans from the truck came inside the car? The flying paint cans is most likely what injured the passengers. I hope everyone makes a quick recovery.

Yes, the bulkhead door gave out and damaged the door to the operating cab (which when open is against the bulkhead door) and then it looks like it damaged the back wall of the cab, where the aisle door is so that would be damaged as well. The entire wall looks pushed back.

Thank goodness the injuries weren't more severe, and while the engineer was/is in serious condition, it doesn't look life threatening to him or any of the other passengers or the crossing guard who was on the ground and just happened to be near by in the wrong place at the wrong time

It doesn't matter if the car gets put back in service or not. It needs to be examined as to why the bulkhead door failed and what can be done to prevent injuries the next time.

The structure of the car looks sound, the "crashworthyness" of the car itself looks to be fine as well. However, there was intrusion into the car which lead to injuries, and thats a big problem.

Gee, its a good thing the FULL operating cab was there, and the entire vestibule acted as a buffer zone. Good think its not a half cab like a Silverliner V, because that vestibule door would have literally got thrown into the entire body of the coach with nothing to stop it. The back wall of the vestibule took the brunt of the force and prevented the door as well as possibly entire paint cans or other debris from flying into the seating area of the car. Yes, paint did enter the body of the car, as you can see folks covered in it in the pictures, but id rather be covered in paint than be hit by a paint can or jug....

Boy, this discussion sounds familiar, doesn't it? But I guess down in Septa land, accidents like this can't happen. And those 2 extra seats are SOOO worth it......

Jtgshu wrote:Yes, the bulkhead door gave out and damaged the door to the operating cab (which when open is against the bulkhead door) and then it looks like it damaged the back wall of the cab, where the aisle door is so that would be damaged as well. The entire wall looks pushed back.

Thank goodness the injuries weren't more severe, and while the engineer was/is in serious condition, it doesn't look life threatening to him or any of the other passengers or the crossing guard who was on the ground and just happened to be near by in the wrong place at the wrong time

It doesn't matter if the car gets put back in service or not. It needs to be examined as to why the bulkhead door failed and what can be done to prevent injuries the next time.

The structure of the car looks sound, the "crashworthyness" of the car itself looks to be fine as well. However, there was intrusion into the car which lead to injuries, and thats a big problem.

Gee, its a good thing the FULL operating cab was there, and the entire vestibule acted as a buffer zone. Good think its not a half cab like a Silverliner V, because that vestibule door would have literally got thrown into the entire body of the coach with nothing to stop it. The back wall of the vestibule took the brunt of the force and prevented the door as well as possibly entire paint cans or other debris from flying into the seating area of the car. Yes, paint did enter the body of the car, as you can see folks covered in it in the pictures, but id rather be covered in paint than be hit by a paint can or jug....

Boy, this discussion sounds familiar, doesn't it? But I guess down in Septa land, accidents like this can't happen. And those 2 extra seats are SOOO worth it......

Im sitting in the back (4518 pulling) section of 6043 (a cab car related to the one in the accident for those who do not know) looking at your post JT and picturing what happened on board the car that hit the truck. You said the whole vestibule wall was pushed back? Holy s***. Thats a pretty serious wall there... If you had a railfan seat there and no wall to stop that door coming back.. Forget it. That sends a chill up my spine just thinking about it.

sullivan1985 wrote:

25Hz wrote:

glennk419 wrote:Any word on the engineer? He was listed as one of the injured (obviously).

There is the possibility that the employee listed in serious condition was standing up by the cab when the door was knocked inward. If this is the case, i hope they have a speedy recovery.

On a positive note, the damage could have been a lot worse, and i think the car will be put back into service once they cycle it through repairs. Who knows how long that will take though.

The engineer is listed in "serious condition." Being that, who cares if the cab car comes back into service? Is it really that important? Based on the photos I've seen, the bulkhead door failed to do it's job and is most likely the primary reason for the injuries sustained by the crew and passengers. Sometimes you train buffs just don't get it.

Yea, i do get it. I also get that i have absolutely no technical knowledge of the incident, the technical specs of the cab car, or what did and did not function properly in the impact, and so i did not make any such comments pertaining to that aside from "gee i hope the car gets back into service" as it was purchased with the taxpaying public's money with car shortages still ongoing.... And if there was a problem with the door, i'm in no position to comment on it aside from the comments i all ready made based on visual observations.

Next time if you have a problem with something i say, PM me about it, i'd be happy to talk. Thanks!

Everyone: I saw TV news reports on this accident myself...

Thankfully everyone involved came out OK and the injuries were not too serious...

This reminds me of a recent accident in Lyndonville,VT on 1/23...

Did anyone catch this on any video like the VT accident was?

See: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 6&t=128610

MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote:Everyone: I saw TV news reports on this accident myself...

Thankfully everyone involved came out OK and the injuries were not too serious...

This reminds me of a recent accident in Lyndonville,VT on 1/23...

Did anyone catch this on any video like the VT accident was?

See: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 6&t=128610

MACTRAXX

It's interesting you bring this up.... I have noticed a lack of grade crossing camera coverage, despite the numerous videos of grade crossing incidents. Typically the camera that recorded the incident just happens to be pointed at/ have a view of the area. The example you give is a perfect example of the coincidental nature of most of these video captures. This is unfortunate, because videographic evidence could help improve grade crossing safety via assisting forensic investigations. Obviously human behavior dictates that grade crossings will never be fully incident-free, but it could help in designing/renovating the crossing or making changes to the vehicles involved.

So I guess we can hand out the Darwin Award again unless it was a legitimate mistake.