Two Dead, 100 Hurt in Crash of California Bound Amtrak Train

R-14Driver

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RENO, Nevada, -- Two people were killed and dozens injured on Friday when a tractor-trailer rig collided with an Amtrak train on a rural Nevada highway, Amtrak officials said.

The truck drove into the side of an Amtrak train carrying 204 passengers and 14 crew members at a highway rail crossing east of Reno, at about 11:20 a.m. Pacific time, Amtrak said in a written statement.An Amtrak spokeswoman said two people were confirmed killed in the accident on U.S. Route 95 and that a number of others were injured.........................

Two Killed in Crash of California-Bound Amtrak train - ktla.com
 
Thank you for posting this crash news and link R14-Driver.
Looks weird that a Semi drives into a train?
Could be the trucker suffered a medical condition,fell asleep,or heaven forbid this was a terrorist attack threatened for the retaliation of Bin Ladens death?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/osama-bin-laden-death-retaliation-13508358

I have looked and will keep looking for updates to see if there is more information on why this trucker did what he did.
If anyone else sees anything on this please post it here,thank you.
 
Here is todays latest on this crash,still not much about the trucker who blew through the crossing gates and rammed the train.
I have also seen links saying the Fed's are investigating this along with the local authorities.

Colo. Girl Scout Troop On Amtrak Train Hit By Semi - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver

In this link it is reported that the truck drivers past history is being investigated.
Also the death toll is up to 5 from the original 2.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/amtrak-crash-death-toll-rises-truck-driver-investigated/story?id=13930136
 
Death toll up to six now and reports of the truck skidding 300 feet before crash and embedding in a car. Three trucks in convoy, trailing two stopped and watched.
Rig was empty gravel dump doubles. Must have had it really wound to skid the distance and still embed. Strange situation. Gates down and signal lights flashing per
other drivers.
 
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Thanks OleGuy,for digging up more of the details of how this crash happened.
Kinda sounds like the (3) Semi's may have been racing each other,without being able to ask the one trucker that was killed.
I am sure the other two will never admit to something like that.
Nobody from the train would have noticed these Semi's, as the train was coming to the crossing at a high rate of speed.
Of couurse we may never know.
However if in fact the truckers were racing, the guy that hit the train may have just passed one of the other Semi's,coming around in front of him.
He wouldn't have been able to stop for that train,where the other two were far enough back they saw it coming.
I know my idea is just speculation,that the driver that hit the train could have also had a medical condition to prevent him from stopping in time.

I found a You Tube report that the trucking company had a number of past violations.

 
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My $0.02 from the other side of the world...

To speculate that it was trucks racing or distracted driving is a stretch at this point. We might never know what really happened but there are already enough of the anti-truck media grabbing at straws here and trying to come up with any way they can to further blacken the eye of the trucking industry. I would no way condone any intentional bad driving but let the investigation get some answers before we convict the driver here in our own forum.
My opinion here.
Ken
 
Well then blacktruck,would you hazard a guess to why that trucker was going so fast,that he wasn't able to stop for the train in time?
Or is it you just are condemning me for my speculation?

Gee the whole idea behind this forum is to make all commercial drivers aware of the dangers trucking can be if simple rules of the road are not followed.
And that as little as a split second not focusing on what you are doing, could cost a life time of regrets.

Until my retirement in 2008,I was a city driver for 45 years,the last few years of my career, I was a UPS Freight safety trainer.
I was never one to give the trucking industry any bad press but only to advise how crashes could be avoided.

However it is like any issue we all have our own opinions about any given topic and you are in-titled to yours.

I along with you would really like to see what the end results of the investigation comes up with.
Until then take care,and above all be safe.
 
Here is the latest update on this Semi,Train crash investigation.

Amtrak train crash: Two passengers remain in Reno hospital | Reno Gazette-Journal |
rgj.com


Also an Raw Video Aerial view of the crash scene shows there is nothing in the area that would have blocked this truckers view of the approaching train,where by he wouldn't have not had plenty of time to stop.
http://www.rgj.com/videonetwork/1021815915001/Aerial-of-Amtrak-train-crash.

It still remains a mystery to the cause of this crash?
 
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Gotta love an open mike....so to speak......

Well then blacktruck,would you hazard a guess to why that trucker was going so fast,that he wasn't able to stop for the train in time?
Or is it you just are condemning me for my speculation?

Gee the whole idea behind this forum is to make all commercial drivers aware of the dangers trucking can be if simple rules of the road are not followed.
And that as little as a split second not focusing on what you are doing, could cost a life time of regrets.

Until my retirement in 2008,I was a city driver for 45 years,the last few years of my career, I was a UPS Freight safety trainer.
I was never one to give the trucking industry any bad press but only to advise how crashes could be avoided.

However it is like any issue we all have our own opinions about any given topic and you are in-titled to yours.

I along with you would really like to see what the end results of the investigation comes up with.
Until then take care,and above all be safe.
Precisely my point, Super Moderator.
I would not like to hazard a guess about the reason the crash happened. If you note, I was not condemning anybody, just telling people to use restraint and to let the investigation go on without prejudicing anybody. Hmmm, so the whole point of the forum is to make sure everybody knows this is a dangerous job.....Who knew?????
As far as credentials go for either you or I, I'm not sure what that has to do with this incident. You are right, we are entitiled to our own opinions. I'm always glad to share an opinion and thank you for letting me once again share mine.
Stay safe out there.
Ken
 
No problem,everyone is welcome here.

A word about diving safety,and the whole purpose of this forum,for what it is worth.
It is better to be aware of the negative side of any occupation,to always keep the downfalls in mind during your on the job activities,so you don't take short cuts.

In other words as the old saying goes,it is better to be safe than sorry.

I search cyber space to find commercial crash news links with photos to post here,and sometimes comment on my posts.
Often times there is not many details in a lot of the crashes,as well as most times no updates to see what the cause may have been.

It maybe nothing to you that I had a long career driving truck ,or that in my last years, I was a safety trainer.
However even in retirement I am still interested in doing my part to keep all of the commercial drivers safe that come to this forum and read the posts.

I can't please everyone,and I don't try,if anyone has any problems with me,it is not my problem it is theirs.

My only interest is to post the crashes I find,so others will be aware of what can happen if they are not focusing on their driving,and surroundings.
So nobody that sees these crashes will ever have their names on any crash reports,that they all will have successful careers,and happy healthy retirements with their loved ones when they are ready,to enjoy their sunset years as I am.
 
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