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I should say put only the recent car involved just to show people the danger of trying to beat a train.
Posts: 210 | Registered: Apr 2003
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after 7 years of watching so many stupid people, i have a rather morbid attitude towards the driving public. i don't know so much that putting cars at the road crossings would help, but maybe a traveling display, showing the wrecked car, stopping by places like supermarkets, schools, and malls, might help to educate some people about the dangers of running those gates. but some people are just born stupid, and i refuse to get upset if i impale one on the front coupler of my engine!
Posts: 85 | From: owingsmills, md. | Registered: Aug 2002
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I finished up driver's ed last June, and we spent quite a bit of time discussing RR Xing safety, with videos and pamphlets included. A locomotive engineer or Op. Lifesaver rep. was supposed to give a lecture, but that was cancelled. Still, I feel that the majority of the students got a clear message that you have to pay VERY close attention at crossings, especially where visibility is reduced.
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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If I remember correctly, we spent about four hours on railroads over two class days, with three videos about grade crossing safety and consequences if you ignore the warnings, and a video about the different types of crossing warnings (lights/gates/bells and crossbucks), and where you should look for them and expect them. We were given pamphlets from Op. Lifesaver which had similar articles and safety messages in them. We watched a video about the anatomy of an accident, and it told about a guy who was approaching a crossing with the gates down, and attempted to cross, thinking a slow-moving freight was approaching. It continued to say that it was a 79MPH Amtrak train that was on top of him before he could do anything. It analyzed the causes of the accident, from mental stress and distraction to being in a hurry and not having much knowledge about railroad safety. I was always alert when crossing the tracks, and would stop right away when the lights and bells started, even before the gates began to come down. Now I slow down every time before crossing, and look both ways just to make sure nothing is approaching. I talked to a few people in my class who avoid RR crossings whenever they can, because they understand what can happen if there is a car/train collision. All in all, it was time well spent!
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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My grandmother was killed by crossing the tracks at an unmarked crossing... PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS 45 years ago. It instills in me the idea to check EVERYTIME - BOTH WAYS!!!! The idea of putting junk cars at each crossing would make a junk yard of a great view - The history of Trains. Perhaps putting small white crosses or small ribbons for each person stupid enough not to look first.
And for the ones who race to beat the train, and don't - remember the saying 'Thinning of the herd'. Evolution works.
Posts: 4 | From: Estacada, OR USA | Registered: Apr 2003
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Around 1991, when the LA MTA Blue Line opened (on what was formerly a rarely used branch line), they did have a wrecked car on display for a short while at a crossing. The idea was to inform people that light rail trains are still HEAVY TRAINS when collisions with cars are involved.
Probably not a good idea to leave wrecked cars by crossings, at least not permanently. Maybe full page newspaper/magazine ads or trailers in movie theaters would work?
They don't leave wrecked cars by the highways when speeders lose control.
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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