Just make sure you know your road can accept delivery of your new tractor

[ovrszd]

Any OTR truck driver that needs that sign isn't worth his CDL. If the video was of a traffic jam because the driver is trying to turn around or back out that would be acceptable.

I highly support truck drivers and carry them in the highest regard. I am overly courteous with them on the highway. They are trying to make a living. I need them. I speed up to get out of their way or slow down to let them pass. I need them.

Don't want anyone to get the mistaken idea that I'm bashing truck drivers. I am not. This guy made a critical error. Critical. Error.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have said it before. I see many Youtube equipment screw-ups and I am always left with the impression that this isn't the guy that owns the equipment. Much easier to take chances and be careless with someone elses money, reputation, insurance and so forth.

 

[ovrszd]

I have said it before. I see many Youtube equipment screw-ups and I am always left with the impression that this isn't the guy that owns the equipment. Much easier to take chances and be careless with someone elses money, reputation, insurance and so forth.

Yep....

 

[Jstpssng]

Sometimes on a multiple tracks level crossing, with everyone so **** impatient, I feel like a jackass stopping and waiting for the vehicle in front to clear the tracks AND have room for me to get clear of the barrier if they come down. But I do. Most people are far too stupid for that level of thinking.

I'm the same way. We also have many unguarded crossings here, and it's scary how many people will blast right through them without even looking. I will slow down, or stop if necessary to ensure that no train is coming.

 

[sandman2234]

I teach truck driving to people off the street, and one of the things they "learn" as they are leaving the yard, is that they need 100 foot of open space before they start across a rail crossing. Now, this morning, I had one student miss a gear just before crossing a track and making a right turn. Instead of fixing the shift, he hit the brakes and stopped, with front end on the track. I forced it into reverse and had him back up "NOW"!!!. We were in traffic and I knew there was a straight truck behind us. I backed up as far as I thought it would take to get out of the way of the train and had the student stop. The crossing arms came down and rested on the hood of the truck, between me and the fender mirror. I stepped out of the truck to see if we had hit the truck behind us, and we were 3 inches from the grill of it. I took a picture of the bar laying across the hood. Close call!!
About an hour later, same crossing, a different student coming up on the intersection and turning left, downshifted to the correct gear and speed prior to crossing the tracks, and started across. He then stepped on the brakes hard when the light went quickly to yellow and red. I shouted at him to "keep going" but his brain was in full lock-down as he faced that bright red light. I reached over and pulled the brake buttons, hit his seatbelt and told him to swap seats. I sat down, pulled it into gear and pulled as far forward as possible, right to the edge of the intersection pathway. I then sat in gear, ready to pull forward into traffic of the red light intersection if the crossing lights should happen to come on. This was a main line track running along side a major southbound highway. I was blessed that a train did not decide to come along at that moment. So...twice within an hour, I risked an accident with another automobile that would have been deemed my fault, over the chance of encountering a train!
Railroad crossings that are too low for a lowboy trailer to cross, marked or not, are pretty much left to become the drivers fault if someone gets stuck on them. KNOW your vehicle and how high of a clearance it takes to cross over a track. Getting stuck on one is actually against the law here, so your screwed even if a train doesn't hit you!
First offense of any violation on a railroad track with a CDL in your pocket here, is a 60 day suspension of your license.
David from jax

 

[4570Man]

Most certainly the trucks fault. No ifs ands or buts about it.

Not sure how long he was stuck...maybe he had less than a minute????

But first thing I would have tried to do would have been get the tractors OFF the trailer and clear of the tracks.

Maybe they didn't have time.??? Or maybe he was stuck for 20 minutes just scratching his head and twiddling thumbs???

What I’d do first is call 911. Maybe they can alert the train, but they can send the fire department which if they’re allowed could help. Next I’d start unloading the tractors and attempt to pull the truck off.

 

[aczlan]

What I’d do first is call 911. Maybe they can alert the train, but they can send the fire department which if they’re allowed could help. Next I’d start unloading the tractors and attempt to pull the truck off.

Pretty much every rail crossing in the country has a reflective sign next to it with an emergency number and the crossing number. That's the first number you should call if somebody's ever stuck on the tracks. They can talk directly to the train and you might have half a chance of getting a train to stop in time. Calling 911 will add at least a couple minutes before the train crew hears that there is a vehicle stopped on the tracks.
You can also look up emergency numbers for most rail companies. I have the big one around here (CSX) in my phone so that I don't have to waste time looking for the phone number and I can call as I head up to a vehicle stopped on the tracks.
Never needed it for that, but I have called in idiots playing on the 2 track mainline more than once.

Aaron Z

 

[Industrial Toys]

911 is the last people I would call around here. They would probably tell you, in their usual, talk down to you voice, that it is not their jurisdiction.

I don't quite get it though. If I operated a large dangerous piece of equipment, there is no doubt that it would be my responsibility to keep the public safe. The Railroads don't seem to be held to this accountability. Shorter trains, more grade separations? They have the dangerous equipment, let them spend the money. It's like, killing people is just a cost of doing business, like it's always been.

 

[oosik]

I've witnessed a 100 car grain train(that's normal size around here) go into emergency stop. I always though it would be - locked wheels and sparks flying everywhere. Its not that at all - its like the train has ABS(antilock braking system). There is a lot of extremely loud squealing, squeaking, sounds of air being released from air brakes. I was parked at a RR crossing and it certainly made me want to back up - I couldn't, there were two cars behind me.

 

[ovrszd]

I've witnessed a 100 car grain train(that's normal size around here) go into emergency stop. I always though it would be - locked wheels and sparks flying everywhere. Its not that at all - its like the train has ABS(antilock braking system). There is a lot of extremely loud squealing, squeaking, sounds of air being released from air brakes. I was parked at a RR crossing and it certainly made me want to back up - I couldn't, there were two cars behind me.

Just like it this video. Not sure the train had it's brakes activated at impact, but it certainly did within a few seconds after.