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removal of trailer from tracks

[Stonehenge]

You seem to be taking all of this pretty well. I think I'd be stuck in the bathroom hurling my guts out if it were me.

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another pic of trailer being moved

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well there's not much to do now. I'm not ready to elaborate much, but I was trying to sell the truck to a neighbor and good friend of myself and my partner. We told him to drive it, take it to the job and use it. He was reluctant to buy it because it was 13 years old. We told him it was a great truck and to use it for a few days so he would see for himself. So he was driving the truck and using for his work. He is a small grading company and we are kind of stuck in the middle because we own the truck. It has made for a long day today. Probably will not sleep well worrying. But there is really nothing I can do about it now. This is the last thing I could ever conceive happening.

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a before picture from New Orleans beside city park. Last October

[Bill Schwab]

S2F;

I know this is just words, but you know, why worry about something that is tomorrows problems. Today brings enough in itself. You're insured, no one hurt, and no warning signs on the crossing. Your ace in the hole.

[cutntrim]

Wow, glad that everyone is o.k. That brings back vivid memories for me. A few years ago I was "T-Boned" by a tractor trailer while making a left turn at an intersection and luckily myself and the employee beside me were unharmed. Trucker was fine too. My pickup was a write-off as was my equipment trailer. Take it from me, do not trust that oncoming vehicles will stop...even for a red light...if you are turning left. WAIT until they come to a complete stop, THEN make your left.

In your case, it's MAKE SURE no trains are coming BEFORE crossing the tracks, and don't trust signal lights because they might not be functioning...or even there at all.

Equipment can be replaced, lives can't. On the bright side, no one got hurt and maybe you'll get more in insurance replacement coverage than you would have by selling it privately to begin with. Tough way to find out though...

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Bill look in this picture and you will see the crossing sign just behind my tractor. Just the old "x" rail - road. Cross - ing. This may be a factor in this situation not having the updated crossing arms. The driver told me he never heard the train, he looked both ways and eased across the tracks, took his time not to bounce someone else's truck. This is a rough crossing. He thought he was being careful. this train comes through daily and the owner of the dump told us it took 13 seconds from sight of train for it to cross intersection. this is conceivable for me to believe that he eased across the tracks idling in 1st gear after looking. There were a couple of trucks in front of him easing up to the man that gives the dump ticket(no scales flat rate). I also personally know this person, we wouldn't let just anyone take a vehicle for sale out on this type of "test drive". He is a cautious and very respectful of other's property.

The highway patrolman's report stated that the engineer saw the truck and flipped the train in to emergency braking and laid on the floor bracing for impact. Now how can he blow the horn from the floor. The driver said he never saw or heard the train he got knocked back and to the left, thought what the hell and looked out the back window to see the trailer was gone and a train was right behind him speeding by. after the train passed he noticed the trailer up on the hill and figured out what just happened. I plan on leaving this for the insurance companies to fight out.

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oops again bill here is the picture I was talking about. I already posted a picture from the rear of my truck that may show better.

[Mac]

at 75 miles per hour, that is 110 feet per second... if it was a blind crossing, Im surprised something like this doesnt happen more often. Im glad to know everyone is alright.

Is the truck damaged too?

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I'm not sure where Bill got the "blind crossing" I mention unprotected crossing. no signals or crossarms. Maybe hopeful thinking.

[HardDaysKnight]

First, let me say that it's fortunate there were no fatalities.
I don't see the rr-xing sign in that pic. I have heard of it called
a blind crossing because of no signals or crossarms.
I wish you well, Johnny.

[Pelican]

Holy Crap!!!

I'm glad to hear there were no serious injuries.

Trains are required to sound their horns approaching ALL crossings, it will be interesting to hear if that happened here.

[Bill Schwab]

The lawmakers are also very sympathetic to private crossings. We had one in Geneva, Illinois that led back to these apartment buildings where you had to crawl over. The commuter terminal was about 2 miles away and the next stop was Whwheaton, so those engineers wound up the deisels and let them go. Every 2-3 years we would here of a killing or maming from the crossing but since the crossing was privtate, nothing ever got done. An electric signal was over $20,000 at the time and none would pop for it.

A railroad crossing is considered blind anytime the train can be completely out of site, and make it to the crossing before a large vehicle can cross over. So, your driver looks, nothing there. Train rounds the bend at 75MPH (the national speed limit for trains
I beleive is 73) and into his windshield is a dump trailer and red tractor. Even though he was signaled (assuming) that he could throttle up, knowing that crossing he should have been going slower.

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Bill how do you mean sympathetic, I understand the meaning of the word but not the context, are lawmakers easy on the railroad or the driver crossing the tracks?