Accident "hotspots"

Monday's fatal pedestrian accident in LaGrange is the third such accident to take place in that town along railroad right of way within a two year time frame. Each of these accidents have taken place in the vicinity of the LaGrange Metra/Amtrak station. Its safe to say that LaGrange has catipulted themselves into an accident "hotspot". This is a disturbing trend and I wouldn't be surprised if the local media were to soon do a story on towns that have seen a higher than average rate of train vs. vehicle/pedestrian accidents, especially with children returning back to school.

What other towns along the Metra system have seen its fair share of accidents and/or near misses? One town that comes to mind is Lombard. Some towns along the UP-W have taken measures to reduce the risk. Other than common sense, is there anything that towns need to do more or better of to protect people from getting into harm's way?

If I read the title but not the post, I immediately think of "47th Street." Is that bad?

MetraBNSF wrote: Other than common sense, is there anything that towns need to do more or better of to protect people from getting into harm's way?

You can't really beat common sense into anyone, sadly. I've been trainwatching at the La Grange Road station several times, and while the trains can be fast, some of the locals in that area are a little "slow." Pedestrians will duck under gates before they go up and mash the gas on their car to get under the gates before they're fully closed, as a Naperville express is screaming toward them.

It's particularly bad during rush hour, when some drivers seem to think it's okay to wait for the light on the tracks ("I'm bettin' he'll swerve" - Bill Murray in Groundhog Day), blissfully unaware that the 1277 flying down the track might be destiny itself and not just an ordinary commuter train. One rush hour, I saw a semi truck waiting for a light, hanging over all three tracks while a headlight was rapidly approaching. Luckily the light turned green, but the right before it did so the guy I was with began quickly walking down to the other end of the platform, for fear of being impaled by flying truck parts. Keep in mind the light is set up there so no vehicle should ever be on the tracks, but again, human rush-hour ignorance ("Traffic's bad! It's not MY fault!) takes precident over common traffic laws.

I suppose 47th Street could be considered to be a 'hotspot' as two derailments have occurred at the same interlocking within a two year period. However, the mainline and the crossover that the derailments took place on, are no longer there as Metra has since moved the Rock's main tracks over. The area around 47th Street is currently in the middle of being reconfigured, so I'm not sure how the crossovers are planned for the area in the future. Hopefully, they won't be using anything that requires anything around a 10mph switch move.

Putting up signs, adjusting the timing of the traffic lights, sting operations by local law enforcement, and ad campaigns by railroads designed to educate the public about safe behavior at crossings are the common tools used to fight this, and frankly, I really don't see what else can be done. So again, the only real solution to this is grade seperation, but as we all know, that's easier said than done. Metra and BNSF would likely argue over who pays how much, but perhaps if all suburbs from Berwyn to Downers Grove (where grade seperation is needed most) were to pitch in, it could be possible. And, assuming all townships involved get on board with this (a big if, no pun intended), the question then becomes: Would a project of this scope and magnitude be worth the construiction-related delays to both rail and auto traffic that this would surely cause, knowing that it would take years to complete? Depends on who you talk to, but either way, there are no easy answers, I'm afraid...

MetraBNSF wrote:
What other towns along the Metra system have seen its fair share of accidents and/or near misses? One town that comes to mind is Lombard. Some towns along the UP-W have taken measures to reduce the risk. Other than common sense, is there anything that towns need to do more or better of to protect people from getting into harm's way?

Actually, Lombard isn't that bad; the main station building sits on an embankment, and is grade seperated from Main St. In contrast, just a few miles east, Elmhurst has its share of near misses, with crossing gate violators taking more chances due to slow rail traffic through the area, with freights going in/out of Proviso; and most Metra trains slowing for, or pulling out of the station. The accident rate in Elmhurst would likely be higher if the trains were faster...

I'm surprised that they haven't implemented a permanent slow zone like they did at Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park on the Milw-West. There was only one bad accident there.

In addition, our trains are not allowed to pass though a station if there is another train occupying it. It really puts a drag on the "way to really fly" claim.

F40CFan wrote:In addition, our trains are not allowed to pass though a station if there is another train occupying it. It really puts a drag on the "way to really fly" claim.

This rule really surprises me and I will never fully understand it. Depending on the station, the train would block the pedestrian crosswalk and the street crossing and there might be a fence seperating the tracks. And if there is a second train, there would be communication between the engineers of the trains that would allow for the train occupying the platform to hold at the station until the second train pulls in or clears the platform. Only BNSF has trains that fly through stations when there are trains occupying the platforms, but the engineers of the express trains really lay on the horn until the express clears the front of the stopped train.

The current rule has also made commuters in the routine walking right after their train leaves, as on the Rock, an inbound train will wait for all outbound pedestrians to cross the crosswalk before pulling into the station...so people assume no train will come through.

I saw that phenomenon in downtown Mokena all the time when I took the train to work. Yeah, that's the ticket, get people used to that, so much for "expect a train at any time on any track."

It made me feel like a chump for waiting.

metraRI wrote:The current rule has also made commuters in the routine walking right after their train leaves, as on the Rock, an inbound train will wait for all outbound pedestrians to cross the crosswalk before pulling into the station...so people assume no train will come through.

They do that at Wood Dale too. This morning, 2220 was holding while the outbound detrained passengers. It departed and the fools just walked in front of 2220 even though the engineer was laying on the horn. If I were a cop, I could make a mint issueing violations.

Seems to me, as there is a fence in place, it would be, as stated above, safer to let the other train into the station before the first one departed to prevent the morons from endangering themselves.

It just goes to prove that we are trying to breed a newer, more stupid, idiot these days. No one has respect for the trains if they get the impression that they will stop and/or yield to them all of the time.

If I ever drive out that way I am tempted to try at least one of my ideas. When the lights go on and the gates descend just stop like you're supposed to do. Then see if anyone tries to drive around you, blows their horn at you or, rear ends you.
I actually stopped before some tracks when the lights came on and I ended up getting rear ended by someone who's excuse was; " There is no train so why the BLANK are you stopping."

No accidents have occured here that I can ever remember, but its only a matter of time before something happens at Lisle. At the east end of the platform, there is a mini platform/island that extends to the center track from the south platform in the event a suburban has to board from there. I've seen people cross the tracks at that location when there are two pedestrian tunnels (one running alongside Lisle's Main St. on the west end of the platform and one connecting the station buildings on the east end. Just east of the platforms is where the line curves and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody crosses the tracks at that island and is blindsided by a train flying around the bend.

Another location with accident potential is Western Ave. on BNSF. The main platform is on the north side of the ROW, with crosswalk access to the center platform, and some folks would just casually use tracks as a shortcut, even during rush hours with all the Metra traffic flying through there. My last visit there was a few years ago, after the jointed rail had been upgraded to continious welded rail, and it amazed me how much quieter the trains were, and because of this, the accident potential has actually increased. For instance, while I was there, I remember a Metra express that blew through the station going down the center track, yet I barely heard it coming, and by the time I looked up, it was already on top of me, and out of sight in less than 10 seconds. Given the amount of trespassing that goes on there, I'm sure there's been a lot of near misses.

(btw) - Anybody notice that the majority of the "accident prone" stations mentioned in this thread are on the Burlington? Coincidence, perhaps?

Safety enhancements have since been made after it was shown on TV many years ago, but 80th Ave in Tinley Park had significant accident potential. Before signs and fencing were put up, TV footage showed many commuters running in front of the stopped locomotive and down the embankment into the parking lot. The reporter said that one trip or missed step meant certain disaster.

Interesting.. never saw that footage before. I always wondered why 80th Avenue has dumb fences all around it. Being the busiest station on the Rock, it is a pretty run down station... still waiting for that one to get replaced. Mokena is probably the worst station I have seen with people running around in front of the train to get to the parking lot... something needs to change there.