MSNBC: Amtrak Train Collides with Truck in RODEO California

MSNBC (Via BBG) | 7/15/03 11:16 | MSNBC

[max_rpf]

Emergency personnel, fire units and a hazardous-materials crew are on the scene of the accident. Details on the number of people on the train and potential injuries weren't immediately available, MSNBC said.

[max_rpf]

Train 520, collided w/cargo truck.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Passenger or freight?

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[max_rpf]

Don't know, they are now saying that HCL or bleach may have been spilled.

[ServesURight]

Amtrak is the epitome of government inefficiency.

[af_vet_rr]

I hope this is not another case of "I'm too busy to wait for the train, think I'll go around the crossing arms". These people will eventually win a darwin award.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Doubt it's passenger, then. Thanks.

Bad news for the folks in any truck they hit. Being hit by a train can ruin your whole day.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Amtrak is the epitome of government inefficiency.

And what does that have to do with a truck driver breaking the law and endangering lives by running a crossing in front of a train?

[BeachPaladin]

all Amtrak is passenger - and it's definitely bad news to get hit by a train

[Poohbah]

AMTRAK is, by definition, passenger. (Its early name was Railpax.)

[Poohbah]

My late father told me to never argue the right-of-way with buses, trucks, streetcars, or trains, because the Law of Gross Tonnage always prevails.

[michigander]

Truck Collides With Train

Reports Of Hazardous Materials Spilled

Emergency crews and fire units are on the scene of a collision between a big rig and an Amtrak passenger train in Rodeo. The accident happened at San Pablo Ave. and California St. just before 7:00 a.m.

The train involved is the 520 Amtrak on the Capitol Corridor route from Oakland to Sacramento. Other routes may be delayed about five minutes as trains will single track until the accident is cleared.

There are no injuries to the passengers or crew of the train. The tanker truck driver has injuries that are classified as non-fatal.

There are reports of a hazardous material that has spilled, possibly bleach or hydrochloric acid.

Local law enforcement officials are investigating the cause of the accident.

[spald]

Boy, this brings up a possible terrorist method.

Let's say 12 or so al-qaeda hijack 12 or so large trucks accross the USA and then deliberately run into 12 trains while they are crossing a road.

Havoc and injury with very little planning and execution.

[Poohbah]

Actually, the likely result is minimal injury to the train, and fatal injury to the al-Qaeda folks. Trains are WAY bigger than trucks.

[Tarheel]

Shortly after 9-11 wasn't there considerable press given to the presence of undocumented aliens getting the special licenses needed to drive a big rig? Following on your thought line these people w/b able to cause the havoc you describe.

The Tarheel

[glock rocks]

also commonly known as Right of Weight.

[Poohbah]

I just snorted Mountain Dew onto my monitor.

[spald]

Let's say a big rig had the capacity to derail the train by hitting it just after the engine. All they would need is to derail one car and the rest would follow. There'd be plenty of damage to the train and the passengers onboard.

Hey, I'm not recommending the method, Poobah, just thinking of security holes that could be plugged.

[Poohbah]

Let's say a big rig had the capacity to derail the train by hitting it just after the engine.

The truck would have to have a fair head of speed on, which means it would have to roll up to the railroad crossing at the right moment. Your method requires split-second timing on the part of both the truck driver and Amtrak.

The former is possible. The latter is nothing to bet on.