Train missed cars by half a second in Norfolk level crossing
Discussion
'...likely caused by leaves on the line coating the railhead – the top of the railway track’s steel rails that come into contact with wheels.'
Crumbs, nobody could have predicted that...
It does make you wonder how much we trust these things though. You can hardly drive halfway onto the track, stop and look both ways before proceeding...
Crumbs, nobody could have predicted that...
It does make you wonder how much we trust these things though. You can hardly drive halfway onto the track, stop and look both ways before proceeding...
Highly unusual if the cause was as mentioned in the article, not a nice experience for any of the people involved. I've had a few close calls at LCs with road users chancing it occasionally but only ever experienced one due to a system failure with the LC equipment.
Some people see LCs as a challenge, I'm sure of it - a few years ago I came very close to hitting a single decker bus on one of the automatic half barrier crossings I regularly drive over, but with a 2,500 freight train doing 60mph there's not much you can do. On that occasion the bus driver managed to reverse back just enough to miss my train. About ten years ago a workmate was taking his train over Desborough crossing on the Leicester to Burton line, he was about half way across when an impatient nutter in a transit van decided to overtake the two cars standing between him and the barrier, drove round the barrier straight into the side of the train which was doing 45mph. The same year I was in the signalbox at Bardon Hill (on the same line) having a brew when a young girl in a hot hatch drove straight through both barriers at full pelt, it transpired she was on her mobile phone.
Some people see LCs as a challenge, I'm sure of it - a few years ago I came very close to hitting a single decker bus on one of the automatic half barrier crossings I regularly drive over, but with a 2,500 freight train doing 60mph there's not much you can do. On that occasion the bus driver managed to reverse back just enough to miss my train. About ten years ago a workmate was taking his train over Desborough crossing on the Leicester to Burton line, he was about half way across when an impatient nutter in a transit van decided to overtake the two cars standing between him and the barrier, drove round the barrier straight into the side of the train which was doing 45mph. The same year I was in the signalbox at Bardon Hill (on the same line) having a brew when a young girl in a hot hatch drove straight through both barriers at full pelt, it transpired she was on her mobile phone.
Simpo Two said:
'...likely caused by leaves on the line coating the railhead – the top of the railway track’s steel rails that come into contact with wheels.'
Crumbs, nobody could have predicted that...
It does make you wonder how much we trust these things though. You can hardly drive halfway onto the track, stop and look both ways before proceeding...
"We" all don't, I've always instinctively hated the poor visibility most level crossings afford you.Crumbs, nobody could have predicted that...
It does make you wonder how much we trust these things though. You can hardly drive halfway onto the track, stop and look both ways before proceeding...
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