Pere Marquette vs Car

[C&O6084]

Train wins. Just reported on Channel 8 on-screen "ticker" that #370 hit a car at Ivanrest & Chicago Drive in Grandville tonight. Doubt the car was on BOTH roads, but after the accident, the car's on both roads now!
website ( http://www.woodtv.com ) shows a dark photo and very little text. No injuries.

Not far from the scene, maybe two or three summers ago, two cars tangled in broad daylight and one car ended up on the ROW.

[PM1946]

Details are sketchy, but according to this story, Amtrak's Pere Marquette "collided with a car" (TV-8's words) tonight in Grandville.
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/ke ... lle-011513

[tsinoms]

Looks ok... they have a video up now. Looks like someone got unlucky with a tire... Just wish people would call the railroad more often if their car is stuck on the tracks.

[LSRC]

I was seriously thinking of going and getting a photo of Amtrak at Ivanrest tonight, but I didn't...and you're telling me that if I had gone, I could have gotten some awesome video of Amtrak whacking a car when nobody got hurt?

[tadman]

Duder heard the train coming for five minutes and did nothing? Call 911? Call the 800 number on the crossing? And how does a car lose a wheel and come to a stop perfectly on the tracks?

This is why I advocate such stiff fines for causing a grade crossing incident. There's a lot of excuses and BS. If people knew you could get a few nights in jail or a $2k fine, they'd freakin call 911 if nothing else.

If it's a crime to cause an application of emergency brakes when no emergency exists as a passenger, why isn't it considered just as much of a crime to cause an emergency brake application for the train by artificially blocking the tracks? Both situations are just as avoidable...

Instead, they usually blame grade crossing incidents on the railroads and try to reduce the speeds or make someone pay to put more gates in. The American way... "but, but, but, it's not my fault, it's GM's fault and Amtrak's fault and and and..."

[donnieland]

370 could have had a two for last night. as 370 approached 112th at east waverly a nb car drove around the
gates that were already down and all lights flashing right in front of 370.

[Saturnalia]

He shoulda been able to hear it as they were coming by the western areas of Grandville. Several minutes to get in the clear. I argee with the fine idea. Anytime the car is at-fault , $2,500 dollar fine. If it causes injury, and additional sum for each person injured.

Edit: I'll quote him:

I heard the train for like 5 minutes...and I'm like, the tow guy better hurry up.

No calling 911? The crossing phone ###?

Car was new last week, no insurance yet.

So a front tire fell off, drive it off the tracks! It'd cause some damage, and you wouldn't want to go far, but it's only 10ft to the clear.

[J T]

Duder heard the train coming for five minutes and did nothing? Call 911? Call the 800 number on the crossing? And how does a car lose a wheel and come to a stop perfectly on the tracks?

Funny how that happens, eh? What are the odds?!!

[M.D.Bentley]

Front wheel drive cars will not move with one of the half shafts or ball joints broken. Or if it was a tie rod end you may have a chance to move a short distance. In Michigan you must have auto insurance before the state will give you a license plate. 5 mins is a long time to wait to get hit. Maybe he should have take pictures as it happened for insurance purpos............. o never mind

[Tom]

He shoulda been able to hear it as they were coming by the western areas of Grandville. Several minutes to get in the clear. I argee with the fine idea. Anytime the car is at-fault , $2,500 dollar fine. If it causes injury, and additional sum for each person injured.

Edit: I'll quote him:

I heard the train for like 5 minutes...and I'm like, the tow guy better hurry up.

No calling 911? The crossing phone ###?

Car was new last week, no insurance yet.

So a front tire fell off, drive it off the tracks! It'd cause some damage, and you wouldn't want to go far, but it's only 10ft to the clear.

I'm not surprised. Look how many people blow a tire and stop dead in the fast lane. Like you can't drive on a flat to the exit.

[C&O6084]

Interesting. Detroit Free Press reports the train as Chicago-bound. At 10PM? Train then proceeded to "a nearby station".

http://www.freep.com/article/20130116/N ... s-reported

[CAT345C]

Interesting. Detroit Free Press reports the train as Chicago-bound. At 10PM? Train then proceeded to "a nearby station".

http://www.freep.com/article/20130116/N ... s-reported

You didn't here, they unload at GR and then run down the Elk to Kazoo so they can keep the train going.

[J T]

I'm not surprised. Look how many people blow a tire and stop dead in the fast lane. Like you can't drive on a flat to the exit.

Yeah, but the fast lane is a long lane. The RR tracks are less than 10 feet wide. By the way, there have been plenty of videos over the years of people driving down the fast lane minus one wheel.

[amtrak1007]

He shoulda been able to hear it as they were coming by the western areas of Grandville. Several minutes to get in the clear. I argee with the fine idea. Anytime the car is at-fault , $2,500 dollar fine.

I hit a car on the CPMY and the driver got off w/o a ticket due to Ottawa Co Sheriff not knowing how to write the ticket.

[hoborich]

and the driver got off w/o a ticket due to Ottawa Co Sheriff not knowing how to write the ticket.

Barney Fife is alive and well in Ottawa county.

[amtrak1007]

Barney Fife is alive and well in Ottawa county.

Pretty Much

[pudgy]

I heard the train for like 5 minutes...and I'm like, the tow guy better hurry up.

No tow truck needed...Amtrak, although not a freight enterprise, carries enough torque and brute strength to "gently" brush the vehicle from the crossing. Now send the bill to his DUMB A$$ for the "tow". Some people's kids......