During a Veterans recognition parade held in Midland Texas, a flatbed tractor trailer carrying wounded veterans and their families was struck by a freight train, killing 4 and injuring 16. Pictures of the scene and story .
And now for a comment. This comment is not necessarily the opinion of Part 15.us or any member but myself.
I lived in west texas (Odessa) for 22 years. The freight train route runs through the south section of both Midland and Odessa with two runs of track for two-way train traffic.
There are crossings scattered along the entire length of the tracks that run through both cities. Some have the warning arms and lights, while others only have the rail road crossing sign.
In the past when parade routes were to cross these rail road crossings, it was always common practice for the parade organizers to coordinate with the rail road authority to ensure the safety of the parade patrons as well as coordinating with the local police and sheriff departments.
Unfortunately this time, someone dropped the ball big time.
Garfield, one of the streets that the parade route was on, crosses the tracks at an intersection. This crossing, as can be seen in the photos in the above link, does NOT have the crossing arms or flashing lights. The street that intersects with the tracks is a two lane road with the RR crossing signs.
It is highly suspicious in how this tragedy happened. What was the driver of that rig thinking, and what was the Midland police and sheriff doing during this parade? Where were they? And why was the parade scheduled to take place during a time when freight trains roll through that area like clockwork, and why on a street with no rail road blocking arms?
A lot of questions with no answers and most certainly there is fault in several areas, as well as liability.
Train accidents like this are very very rare there even with the lack of crossing warning arms and lights at many of the small two lane road crossings. But this is the FIRST time that a parade was EVER scheduled to run through one of those dangerous crossings.
I see a big ol Texas sized cow patty lawsuit on the horizon.
RFB
LInk To Story With Photos
Story and pictures
Sad Problem
On this event RFB has raised very legitimate questions about reckless management in a known hazard situation. Whatever the facts are, they will speak unfavorably of some persons who should have been paying attention.
Railroad disasters are especially disturbing in my personal view because I’m a firm believer in rail transportation as being the finest human method for transporting freight and passengers in an efficient and economical way, and by now the safety factor should be flawless, but governments and corporations have crippled the rail industry in favor of other interests.
The problem isn’t trains or parades, it’s human management. It’s always degenerating rather than evolving (people don’t learn from history).
The part 15 community lowers the flag to half-mast.
Management Mayhem
Indeed it was a management and planning failure..a big one.
Back in 1995, both Midland and Odessa officials tried to mandate that all trains passing through during specific hours, such as drive times, sound their horns as they pass through both cities.
However the population of both cities protested against it because of the train horn being too noisy, so the endeavor failed.
Had the train been sounding it’s horn, ain’t no way that accident would have happened.
Normally trains do sound their horns as they pass through communities.
I believe that the rail road authority, everywhere should mandate a policy that trains sound their horns as they pass through a community regardless of local opinions.
I’ve seen people race through crossings as the arms are dropping, and even some zig zag around those crossing arms just to get across. And there were quite a few who did not make it and ended up not living to learn their lesson.
A train cannot stop on a dime. It can take up to 5 miles plus for a freight train to come to a stop, even if it is traveling under 10mph. All that tonnage is a heck of a lot of momentum and on steel wheels riding on steel rails, kin to rubber tires over ice, slip and sliding away.
I truly hope that the citizens of both Midland and Odessa put aside their little gripe about noise from train horns and start considering the safety of everyone. I also hope that both cities mandate the rail road to install at every crossing, the crossing arms and lights.
I also think that every vehicle should be equipped with a warning buzzer or light in the dash that triggers in proximity to a rail road crossing, train there or not. Perhaps a yellow warning light when approaching a crossing, and a red warning light that a train is approaching the crossing.
Carl is absolutely correct. In today’s modern computerized microprocessor controlled world, train travel, be it passenger or freight, accidents like this should be ancient history.
Unfortunately the mis-management stems far beyond the rail road authority or local officials.
It also depends on the public paying attention to what is going on around them. For pete’s sake, how can you not see or hear a frigging train coming, especially in flat land clear weather no obstruction crossings?
My prayers and condolences to the families of those lost in this tragic and preventable accident.
RFB
Wow
Bruce, W 60 HZ, X-13