A VERY SAD DAY HERE IN AUSTRALIA

Sorry to hear it @Buco. I hope 2024 is a good year for Australia.

MELGAR

Thanks MELGAR......I hope it is also.🤞🤞

We're inflicting ourselves again on you poor Yanks in May.......look out America, lock-up your wives and daughters, we're on the loose!!!!

Peter......Buco Australia.

@Buco posted:

Just read the news about a fatal train crash on the border between South Australia and New South Wales (out in our vast countryside) where the engine driver (engineer) and his assistant (conductor) were killed in a level crossing (grade crossing) collision with a semi-trailer (tractor/trailer).

Both men in the cab were killed, but the fool driving the semi trailer escaped serious injury. The semi driver was in his seventies (my age) and should have known better.

A very sad day, for the last day in 2023.

https://www.9news.com.au/natio...71-897e-4da1b051709b

Peter.....Buco Australia

Stupidity knows no bounds, grade crossings sometimes I think are natures way of culling the herd.thos time is was the wrong people.  even with four gates here in the United States. Idiots find the way to get hit by a train. Grade crossings and suicides are what I would fear the most when I was running over the road.

Let’s hope the new year brings some brains to the planet

@ThatGuy posted:

Stupidity knows no bounds, grade crossings sometimes I think are natures way of culling the herd.

Sadly, it culled the wrong part of the herd this time, those guys were innocent victims of the idiot truck driver!

Very sad.

Sometimes Darwin gets it wrong.......

Bob

@Buco posted:

Just read the news about a fatal train crash on the border between South Australia and New South Wales (out in our vast countryside) where the engine driver (engineer) and his assistant (conductor) were killed in a level crossing (grade crossing) collision with a semi-trailer (tractor/trailer).

Both men in the cab were killed, but the fool driving the semi trailer escaped serious injury. The semi driver was in his seventies (my age) and should have known better.

A very sad day, for the last day in 2023.

https://www.9news.com.au/natio...71-897e-4da1b051709b

Peter.....Buco Australia

My heart goes out to the families of the train crew. My son is an engineer and has had several incidents. Thankfully it’s been the drunks and idiots that bought it in each case. I look forward to his text or call each afternoon.

Sad day it is, indeed.  Over years, others aboard locomotives have been killed due to the negligence of others, while others aboard a locomotive have caused a wreck and survived it.  Personally, I always believed that if it was my time, then there would be no choice.  But my luck always held out.  I survived several train/auto crashes (on the locomotive, of course) and another train on an adjacent track had a major derailment just as we approached, piling up cars all around us and leaving our locomotive on top of a freight car, leaning.  Any of that could have resulted in my own death.

It's too bad that these two had their day this way.  When there is a train collision, you never can tell what will result after the dust settles.  May they rest in peace and may their families find peace, eventually.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Sadly, it culled the wrong part of the herd this time, those guys were innocent victims of the idiot truck driver!

Yes I never meant the train crew.

@RSJB18 posted:

Very sad.

Sometimes Darwin gets it wrong.......

Bob

Yes he did I meant the public, I should have been clearer

@Buco posted:

Just read the news about a fatal train crash on the border between South Australia and New South Wales (out in our vast countryside) where the engine driver (engineer) and his assistant (conductor) were killed in a level crossing (grade crossing) collision with a semi-trailer (tractor/trailer).

Both men in the cab were killed, but the fool driving the semi trailer escaped serious injury. The semi driver was in his seventies (my age) and should have known better.

A very sad day, for the last day in 2023.

https://www.9news.com.au/natio...71-897e-4da1b051709b

Peter.....Buco Australia

I had my share of close calls, but in the end I still think the worse for a crew is a suicide you see it coming and there is nothing you can do…….i still see the girls face that day.

‘’for this crew the they paid the ultimate sacrifice for an idiot, plain and simple.

my thoughts and prayers got to the family and friends. The driver of the truck should be brought up on charges.

Just an update with some results of the tragic train incident. I'm not calling it an "accident", as this could have been so easily avoided!!!!!

Looks like the truck driver (75yrs old, and from my native state - Queensland) tried to "beat the train" with his "B Trippel" rig.....yeh, we have three long semi trailers running behind the prime mover (tractor). He got the cab and the front (first) trailer across the line, but the loco hit the second and third trailers. That explains why the truck driver didn't die!!

https://www.9news.com.au/natio...d1-dffe-4e7c-b3da-43

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers......the families of both drivers (engineers) should not have to go through such a devastating ordeal.

PS. The truck driver has been charged and, if found guilty, will probably spend the rest of his life locked-up....and for something that could have been so easily avoided. I know from experience how hard and how long it takes to get a truck/rig of that size and length moving again, after bringing it to a complete stop, but that is exactly what you have to do when you come to a level (grade) crossing, with a train in plain sight, and lights flashing and bells ringing!!!!!

Peter.....Buco Australia.   

Edit ... I have ridden this road on my motorbike before , and its very open flat country , the crossing is marked with no less than THREE signs erected as far as 500 metres out and a full road lane painted train crossing as well as being fitted with lights and bells at the crossing , one sign 200+ metres out ALSO has flashing red lights built in to it ... this is unforgivable negligence on the part of the truck driver

Thoughts and prayers to the crew’s family. That is very tragic.

Fatman, Thanks for the Google earth link. You are 100% correct that there is no excuse for the truck driver. That has to be a top 10 grade crossing - on the planet- as far as visibility is concerned.

As a daily commuter on trains in and out of Chicago I have unfortunately been witness to way too many of these situations. I always say a prayer for the engineers here who have to witness these accidents from the cab. Unfortunately, we have occurrences like these on a very regular basis.

Thanks Fatman for re-posting your invaluable information.

Peter.....Buco Australia.

He should be charged with something for this. This didn't have to happen.