What to Do in a Railroad Emergency

By -


We had an unusual occurrence in Wichita yesterday. A cement truck overturned rounding a corner that happened to include a railroad crossing. As the overturned truck's cab laid above the tracks, a Sedgwick County sheriff's officer dragged the driver to safety moments before the locomotive struck.

According to news reports, bystanders ran up the track trying to signal the train, going 40 mph, to stop. While they were certainly well-intended, that not the right strategy. The train's crew might not have known what the bystanders were seeking, plus even if they got a hundred yards or so up the track, that is not nearly enough time to stop.

Here is what to do if you ever encounter a similar situation:

Every railroad crossing has a signal box (arrow) that provides the power and the electronic circuitry needed to operate the crossing. By law, the railroad's emergency number is painted on the box.

That telephone number goes to the railroad's "service interruption desk." They will immediately contact the dispatcher handling the train and get them to stop. Give the person who answers the emergency number the information on the placard.

Even in rural areas without an electronic crossing, the number is affixed to the crossbuck.

This is the far more effective, and safer, way to get a train stopped in an emergency. 

Comments

  1. GilbertJanuary 28, 2013 at 9:58 AM

    Specifically, they need to know the DOT number, clearly marked on the box or sign. That tells them exact information about road, state, etc. That, along with the emergency, are what the railroads need to know. From a railfan...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mike SmithJanuary 28, 2013 at 6:53 PM

    Thanks, Gilbert!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bob 1401December 4, 2016 at 2:24 AM

    The Emergency Number is OPTIONAL on the crossing signal box, however it MUST be on or near the Crossbuck pole per FRA. But the sign may not be blue if older signs meet minimum standards.

    The TOLL FREE phone number for most RR goes directly to the DISPATCHER. If you don't see this number, call 911.

    A fully loaded train of about 30 or more cars can take a half mile or more at 30 mph and the same train traveling at 60 mph over a mile and a quarter.

    If you should stall on the tracks and a train is coming, get out, get everyone out of your car, run away from the tracks AND TOWARDS THE DIRECTION WHERE THE TRAIN IS COMING FROM. When the train hits your vehicle, the debris will fly in the direction of the train and even your vehicle could be pushed to the side. Don't stand in the street, another car coming will be more interested in watch your car get hit than seeing you in the street.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hilary's Forecast Path Shifts West; Updated 9:20am PDT

By -
Image
The forecast path of the center of Hilary has shifted a bit to the west. This increases the threat to the Southland, especially in terms of flooding.  Rainfall Note the heavy rains are forecast for Los Angeles County. Serious flash flooding may result. Because the forecast path has shifted to the west, that increases the threat of serious flooding in Los Angeles County north into Yosemite and the southern Sierra. It lessens the threat in Utah and western Arizona. While the threat of widespread flooding in Utah and Arizona lessens, note that some thunderstorms with localized heavy rain show up on the map.  In Nevada, the more western path increases the risk of serious flooding around Mt Charleston and into the central part of the state.  Here is the updated  (9am PDT) flash flood risk map. Wind There are already about 40,000 people without power in California, mostly in the center of the state.  The maps above are the peak gusts forecasted with the storm. The highest winds, in general,
Read more

Dangerous Travel Conditions - People Reportedly Stranded

By -
Image
-- Note, more current info available. Scroll up. --- Updated Information as of 8am PDT You are risking your life if you attempt to travel through the purple area.  While the rain has not begun in coastal California, I would urge you to use this time to make any preparations. Power outages have occurred already in southeast California. Here is the latest radar as of 7:55am PDT. As of 6:40am PDT , the radar indicates moderate to heavy rain falling over desert areas of Southern California and far western Arizona (click to enlarge).  Rainfall amounts for the 24 hours ending at 7am PDT show more than two inches have already fallen. There are reports from reliable sources that roads are already washed out and that people are stranded in isolated parts of the desert.  Below is a high-resolution computer model's rainfall forecast from 5am PDT to 11pm PDT Sunday. More than a foot of additional rain is forecast to fall. This will lead to catastrophic flooding.  Here is a map of current watc
Read more

Update on Tornado and Wind Potential; 12 Noon PDT

By -
Image
There was at least one tornado and at least one funnel cloud yesterday.  --- original forecast --- Hilary (the swirly symbol) continues to move NNW paralleling the coast of Baja California, Mexico. The area outlined in red has a significant risk of tornadoe s the rest of the afternoon.  Below is a list of peak wind gusts so far.  Peak winds may increase farther north as the afternoon progresses.  Addition at 12 noon PDT: Sure enough, winds have increased.  Note: If you are in the San Diego area, I recommend not  traveling east on I-8. Heavy rains may cause flash flooding that will involve the highway. 
Read more