Crossing accidents are in the thousands every year just on my Company alone.
2.08 - Highway-Rail Crossings
It has not happened to me. Yet. The biggest fear are pedestrians. We had yet another three weeks ago. 22 year old female flirting with train. Alcohol related. Another one 2 months prior. With the Holidays approaching always a few more. (college town)
Now, several things come into play here.
1) Better make sure your train is in an emergency brake application.
2) Independent brake fully applied.
3) Whistle blowing.
4) Sanders on.
Why? Lawsuits filled against the Company then you. Heck, the Company has filed lawsuits against it's own employees! Do a search. Attorneys love RR lawsuits.
We do not present Drivers License to the authorities. Don't give them any ammo either. What is being done now is handing them a business card with phone numbers thus letting the Company deal with it. Don't provide any information.
All Locomotives have a black box as well as information that can be downloaded from Ft. Worth, Texas. You guessed it. Spy in the sky as they can watch what you do at any time while operating a Locomotive. Most are now equipped with a video camera that loops every 24 hours.
We also offer trauma instruction to Engineers that may need it after a crash. (three people killed at Valentine was very hard on one of our members) The loss of an Employee last year and the person responding who had to retire after the incident from the trauma involved.
So, yes. You are in a hurry. Please wait. I have run trains that were over 15,000 tons. I can't stop on a dime but rather 1 1/2 to 2 miles. Maybe.
Just wave. If female just flash us.
r8
205 tons each locomotive.