Level crossing stupidity...

[Geoff Endacott]

Earlier today.  BBC Spotlight reported a level crossing collision, showing very briefly a picture of a DMU buried into the left hand side of a courier van. 

 

The local paper reports:-  https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/live-trains-plymouth-gunnislake-cancelled-2325675

 

I'm not sure why they had to show an HST in their illustration.  The usual charabanc on this quiet branch line is either a two-car 150, or a single 153.

 

Thankfully, no casualties.

 

John

 

An HST in Bath as well. Their picture editor must have decided that it's a train so that will do.

 

Geoff Endacott

[kevinlms]

An HST in Bath as well. Their picture editor must have decided that it's a train so that will do.

 

Geoff Endacott

The other annoying thing, is to show a photo of emergency vehicles - just in case we don't know what a police car/ambulance/fire appliance looks like. Anyone for tapes around a scene, with a 'live' reporter, reporting on well nothing!

[Ken.W]

I'm not sure why they had to show an HST in their illustration.  The usual charabanc on this quiet branch line is either a two-car 150, or a single 153.

An HST in Bath as well. Their picture editor must have decided that it's a train so that will do.

 

Well at least he did manage to pick a current GWR train

 

Probably lucky they didn't post a pic of a 'Castle'!

[caradoc]

The caption to the BBC picture states that the crossing did not have a barrier, the implication being that that was the cause of the crash.

[Grovenor]

The caption to the BBC picture states that the crossing did not have a barrier, the implication being that that was the cause of the crash.

And the local Plymouth report says that the vehicle hit the barrier!

[Fat Controller]

And the local Plymouth report says that the vehicle hit the barrier!

A quick look at Quail shows both crossings on the Gunnislake branch as being 'open'

[Wickham Green]

hmmmmm ......... "mini buses are operating between Plymouth and Gunnislake" that's a long, long way by road !  -  the only reason the railway's still open !

[The Stationmaster]

A quick look at Quail shows both crossings on the Gunnislake branch as being 'open'

 

I presume the collision occurred at this level crossing, Okeltor, which is the nearer to Calstock of the two level crossings on the branch.  Presumably a road service operated between Calstock and Gunnislake?

 

[pH]

Two very lucky car drivers in Illinois:

 

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/12/28/officer-misses-train-dashcam-newday-vpx.cnn

 

I've just watched that again, and realised they are very, very lucky! The barriers don't start to come down till half the train is over the crossing.

Edited December 28, 2018 by pH

[St. Simon]

Two very lucky car drivers in Illinois:https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/12/28/officer-misses-train-dashcam-newday-vpx.cnn

I've just watched that again, and realised they are very, very lucky! The barriers don't start to come down till half the train is over the crossing.

Interestingly, there can be seen what look like S&T guys working in the relay room at the end of the clip (briefly).

 

Simon

[highpeakman]

I presume the collision occurred at this level crossing, Okeltor, which is the nearer to Calstock of the two level crossings on the branch.  Presumably a road service operated between Calstock and Gunnislake?

 

Okelktor LC.jpg

 

Shouldn't those "Give Way" signs really be "Stop" signs in such a case?

 

Not that it would probably make that much difference as to how they are obeyed.

[kevinlms]

Two very lucky car drivers in Illinois:

 

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/12/28/officer-misses-train-dashcam-newday-vpx.cnn

 

I've just watched that again, and realised they are very, very lucky! The barriers don't start to come down till half the train is over the crossing.

Just as well the microphone is turned off in that clip. PO Peter Stanglewicz would not have been a happy man!

 

It would appear that the S&T guys turned the barriers back on, when they realised a train was coming. Almost had a fatality on their hands, but for sheer luck & quick thinking. Be interesting to read of what the NTSB think of that.

[talisman56]

Just as well the microphone is turned off in that clip. PO Peter Stanglewicz would not have been a happy man!

 

It would appear that the S&T guys turned the barriers back on, when they realised a train was coming. Almost had a fatality on their hands, but for sheer luck & quick thinking. Be interesting to read of what the NTSB think of that.

 

They do things differently in the States, it seems. Over here the S&T (or equivalent) wouldn't have been let loose in that situation without a full line block...

Edited December 31, 2018 by talisman56

[Gary H]

Just as well the microphone is turned off in that clip. PO Peter Stanglewicz would not have been a happy man!

 

It would appear that the S&T guys turned the barriers back on, when they realised a train was coming. Almost had a fatality on their hands, but for sheer luck & quick thinking. Be interesting to read of what the NTSB think of that.

That's probably not far off the mark. The cynic in me is saying that they had them on local control before the train turned up.

UK practice would be to agree with the signaller if and when you can take local control.

All speculation ofcourse but worth mentioning. 

[Gibbo675]

With some sort of intelligent local control?

With some sort of intelligent local control?

Hi Catkins,

 

To my thinking the solution of such a problem comes from the inversion of what is the perceived problem, this is is to actually activate ones own intelligent local control by engaging ones own brain.

 

Controversial I know !

 

Gibbo.

[Gary H]

Shouldn't those "Give Way" signs really be "Stop" signs in such a case?

 

Not that it would probably make that much difference as to how they are obeyed.

All trains that use that particular crossing are required to stop and sound the horn before working over the crossing. Its the same method of working at Sandways a little further up the hill from there!

Reading between the lines and seeing it was a poor old DPD driver with a 15 hour day and 100+ drops, I think we can draw our own conclusions.

[big jim]

another one here

 

https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2019/01/07/disruption-to-rail-services-between-newcastle-and-carlisle-after-train-hits-car/

[PhilJ W]

another one here

 

https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2019/01/07/disruption-to-rail-services-between-newcastle-and-carlisle-after-train-hits-car/

Another one mistook the track for a road? Pratnav strikes again.

[Davexoc]

another one here

 

https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2019/01/07/disruption-to-rail-services-between-newcastle-and-carlisle-after-train-hits-car/

Does the pixelated bit on the drivers door indicate it was one of those modern taxi drivers who have no local knowledge and follow the pratnav religiously?

[beast66606]

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/news-desk/news-articles/be-aware-level-crossings-greater-anglia-testing-brand-new-trains

 

Not really stupidity but it shows what the railway are up against, people have to be warned that level crossings may be in use at funny times - surely you just obey the lights rather than checking your watch and thinking "Mmm, it's 23:37, there's no trains booked here at that time so I'll weave around the barriers"

[big jim]

Last week I had an incident at an occupational crossing where a tractor began crossing the line without permission from the signaller, he entered the crossing as I could see the front jib over the tree tops approaching the line but not slowing down, I blew the horn and he stopped blocking the other line before reversing back off the crossing rather sharpishly, since then I have given a blast if the horn approaching the crossing for my own safety’s sake

 

Anyway today I found out that there has since been a complaint about excessive use of the horn at the crossing by my train in the days following the incident!

 

Needless to say that after finding that out I still blew the horn approaching the crossing today, and will do tomorrow and Thursday too and in every other train I work over the crossing while it is continued to be misused

 

As an aside a work colleague at Colas also nearly hit a tractor on the same crossing with the Boston steel train a few years back, his was a lot closer miss than mine, so much so he put the loco into emergency and went in the engine room!

[uax6]

If it’s a true occupational crossing (ie one without telephones) then there is no requirement for the tractor driver to ask permission to cross, it is up to him to assess wether it is safe for him to cross.

 

There are two problems with this, NR seem to struggle keeping the vegetation back so that the driver of a tractor can see sufficiently from about 4 yards back from the gates, and that the drivers don’t seem to be able to appreciate how long trains take to approach.

 

You could say that the answer is more uwc’s with telephones on them, but then that makes signaller workload almost impossible. Down our bit of fen Railway, we have some crossings where you can get calls every 5 mins during harvest, planting or tending season.....

 

Andy g

[big jim]

Sorry yes it’s a user worked crossing with phones and gates (which have self shutting mechanisms on them)

[Coryton]

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/news-desk/news-articles/be-aware-level-crossings-greater-anglia-testing-brand-new-trains

 

Not really stupidity but it shows what the railway are up against, people have to be warned that level crossings may be in use at funny times - surely you just obey the lights rather than checking your watch and thinking "Mmm, it's 23:37, there's no trains booked here at that time so I'll weave around the barriers"

 

I have crossed (on foot) at a crossing with red-green lights when the lights were on red.

 

It was clear that there was a possession because there were replacement buses running for that section of line and I could see the workers on the track,. Therefore anything running would presumably have been slow enough

to see it in plenty of time.

 

I still phoned the signaller first though.

[Gibbo675]

Last week I had an incident at an occupational crossing where a tractor began crossing the line without permission from the signaller, he entered the crossing as I could see the front jib over the tree tops approaching the line but not slowing down, I blew the horn and he stopped blocking the other line before reversing back off the crossing rather sharpishly, since then I have given a blast if the horn approaching the crossing for my own safety’s sake

 

Anyway today I found out that there has since been a complaint about excessive use of the horn at the crossing by my train in the days following the incident!

 

Needless to say that after finding that out I still blew the horn approaching the crossing today, and will do tomorrow and Thursday too and in every other train I work over the crossing while it is continued to be misused

 

As an aside a work colleague at Colas also nearly hit a tractor on the same crossing with the Boston steel train a few years back, his was a lot closer miss than mine, so much so he put the loco into emergency and went in the engine room!

Hi Big Jim,

 

Some years back, when I was at the ELR there was once a framer who would insist upon leaving the level crossing gates open despite being asked numerous times to shut them.

 

He did this so that he could drive his Land Rover over the railway without looking.

 

He also did this once too often and bent the rear tender steps of the 42765, is Land Rover went to the crusher and he was put in a box.

 

Fortunately no one else was injured.

 

Gibbo.