"Luckily, the train was going around 25 mph..."

The majority of our readers have come across a railroad crossing either as a pedestrian or as a motorist (e.g., car, bicycle, etc.). How many times have you waited while the rail crossing gate closed and wondered if you could drive or walk around before the train/metro came? Do not be embarrassed everyone has wondered if they could beat the locomotive. Be embarrassed if you actually did walk around the rail crossing gates. Here is a recent incident that shows what could go wrong if you do not stop when the rail crossing gate start to flash:

The railroad crossing at West Stewart Street was shut down for several hours on January 11, 2017  after a train struck a semitrailer that was stuck on the tracks.

The truck hauling scrap aluminum in the 700 block of West Stewart Street became stuck by the crossing gate arms as they came down for an approaching locomotive. The train struck the rear of the trailer, which split it open and spilled its contents.

“Luckily, the train was going around 20, 25 mph, they said. Of course, with the train weighing several hundred thousand pounds it takes a while for it to stop,” Dayton Fire Department Captain said.

The truck driver was not injured.

The railroad crossing at West Stewart Street was shut down for several hours today after a train struck a semitrailer that was stuck on the tracks.

The truck hauling scrap aluminum in the 700 block of West Stewart Street became stuck by the crossing gate arms as they came down for an approaching locomotive. The train struck the rear of the trailer, which split it open and spilled its contents.

“Luckily, the train was going around 20, 25 mph, they said. Of course, with the train weighing several hundred thousand pounds it takes a while for it to stop,” Dayton Fire Department Captain said.

The truck driver was not injured.

We are glad that the driver nor any other motorist or nearby pedestrians were not injured in this incident. It is difficult to find statistics for how many injuries and fatalities occur at rail crossings. In 2015, 244 fatalities occurred in the United States. In 2014-2015 there were 10 fatalities in the United Kingdom. Eight of those fatalities were pedestrians, with one being a cyclist. Below is a table listing rail crossing fatalities in Europe for the years 2014 & 2015. The table can be found here.

We were shocked when reviewing the above statistics. Railway crossings are indeed a problem throughout the globe. Please be aware of this hazard and follow the rail crossing warning signs.

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