>From Mike Marmer in Maryland... FYI, there has never been a grade
crossing incident on the SLE&P.
Bill Winans
Trains, Autos and Grade Crossings
My First Auto/Train Wreck
By Gordon C Kelley
Accidents at grade crossings are
needless events! The fault falls
completely upon the driver of the
motor vehicle. After all, The train
does not get off the track and chase
the vehicle wont the street.
The crossing is protected by a round
yellow advanced warning sign
located 500 feet before the crossing and on each side.
The pavement is marked at the crossing. The crossing is
protected by a white crossbuck sign, flashing red lights,
gates, or even a flagman. The engine's whistle is blowing.
The bell is ringing. The headlight is lit and now, ditch
lights are flashing. With all of that warning, engines still
hit vehicles every few minutes across the country, why?
It seems that some people are in a hurry or just do not
care. Others seem to feel that the train should be able to
stop for them. Wrong!! It doesn't work that way and I
have unfortunately "educated" quite a few drivers and
attorneys to that fact.
I saw my first car being hit by a train long before I
became an engineer. I was nine years old, riding my bike
eastbound on Calumet Road in the village of Fox Point.
The car ahead of me ran the flashing red light and was hit
by a southbound steam locomotive travelling at 80 MPH.
The locomotive was pulling the Lakeshore Limited to the
C&NW depot in Milwaukee.
When the locomotive's cowcatcher hit the middle of the
car, the car's body started spinning on the cowcatcher and
ended up being nothing more than a log ribbon of steel
(with the driver wound in it) which was ultimately thrown
into the ditch 475 feet south of the crossing.
The train stopped nearly two miles south of the crossing.
After communicating with his crew by whistle signal (no
two way radios in the 1940's) the train was backed up
until the engine just cleared the crossing.
My dad, who was at our nearby home, heard the signals,
knew what happened as he was a locomotive engineer. He
drove over to the crossing, found me, picked me and the
bike up, and took me home. He told the Fox Point police
where I would be for a statement. They later came by my
home and picked up a written statement.
The family of the driver sued the railroad. The case went
to court. I was called to as a witness. I testified as to
what I saw and heard.
When the family's lawyer found out that my dad was a
locomotive engineer, he attempted to discredit my
testimony. He berated me and claimed that I was trying
to protect the railroad. When he finished insulting me
and lying to the jury about me I spoke my piece. I asked
him why I would want to protect the C&NW railway
when my father worked for the Milwaukee Road - the
C&NW's competitor. The jury laughed. The courtroom
laughed. The C&NW attorney laughed. The lawyer
yelled even louder. The judge beat the bench with his
gavel and told all of us the he would hold us in contempt
if we continued.
Outcome:
The attorney lost.
The family lost.
The C&NW Railway won.
As an aside: A railroad company has never lost a trial in
which I have been called to testify.
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