level crossing train crash

[WillsEDfalcon]

hi,
I have just herd of the horrific crash between a vline train and a truck north of swan hill.

news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=271302

My condolences to those families who have lost loved ones.

Will

[DOC]

8 people dead ?

[webby_191189]

8 dead, 14 and critical apparntly. I live in Swan Hill and its a shock to the community. The news has already spread across town. names are yetto be released i think.

[Full Noise]

This is really sad news. This level crossing is actually on the north side of Kerang and can come up on you quite quickly as there’s a sweeper on the south side and the actual train line is on an angle to the road.

Here’s the link.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=271302

[LUXO_8]

10 confirmed dead now, expected to rise...
extremely tragic....that middle carriage was torn open in a huge way

[Unco]

that's probably the most horrific thing i've seen this year. i sure hope they do something about that level crossing. i can only hope the death toll doesn't get higher.

[charles_wif_xf]

Originally Posted by Unco

that's probably the most horrific thing i've seen this year. i sure hope they do something about that level crossing. i can only hope the death toll doesn't get higher.

I hope this moves the government into action to eliminate ALL level crossings.

Very, very sad.

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by Willieboy_07

hi,
I have just herd of the horrific crash between a vline train and a truck north of swan hill.

news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=271302

My condolences to those families who have lost loved ones.

Will

V-line doesn't go past Swan Hill.

[webby_191189]

We get the V line ain coming through Swan Hill all the time.

[XHUTE6]

full noise, aren't there a few such risky crossings on that stretch of the malley highway?
I think i can remember flicking my eyes left and right a number of times on approach ready to hit the anchors... is one a give way?

[Full Noise]

This accident was on the Murray Valley Highway. The next level crossing on this line is just north of Lake Boga and also requires a great deal of care as it’s also on a strange angle to the road where there’s also a sweeper when approaching southbound.

The level crossings that you would be thinking of on the Mallee Highway are around Lameroo and Pinnaroo. These are very nasty and require a great deal of care as some are on blind corners with very little warning on the approach.

Cheers

[XHUTE6]

ah.. ok. Thanks.
very sad

[JBomb3000]

The accident was about 6 k's north of Kerang, which is well south of both Swan Hill and Lake Boga. The crossing is only about 2 k's from the farm i work at. One of the most shocking things i have ever seen, it looked like a bomb had gone off inside the train. My thoughts are with all those involved and affected.

[[Tonko]]

10 confirmed now
Very very sad...

[Outbackjack]

I drove through that crossing a couple of weeks ago. The ramifications from this accident will be around for a long time. I wonder how much a level crossing gates and lights cost compared to what the VIC government sucks up in speed camera revenue?

My heart goes out to the families of those lost.

[JBomb3000]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

I wonder how much a level crossing gates and lights cost compared to what the VIC government sucks up in speed camera revenue?.

I understand the sentiment, but the crossing has lights and the truck did not see the train or the lights so i doubt boom gates would have made any difference. Just a tragic accident.

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by JBomb3000

I understand the sentiment, but the crossing has lights and the truck did not see the train or the lights so i doubt boom gates would have made any difference. Just a tragic accident.

Yes a tragic accident. But there can be no doubt that, what ever the price, that crossing could have been made safe. Why do so many innocent people have to die before Governments act? As I said, if all the revenue gathered from speed camera's was spent making the roads a safer place, this MIGHT not have happened.

[RG]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

I drove through that crossing a couple of weeks ago. The ramifications from this accident will be around for a long time. I wonder how much a level crossing gates and lights cost compared to what the VIC government sucks up in speed camera revenue?

My heart goes out to the families of those lost.

Unfortunately this government seems to be good at coming out and saying how much of a tragedy it is and how they will do something about it but they are useless in actually doing something about it. There has been no works done at either the Trawalla crossing AFAIK and the dirt track crossing still exists just outside of Ballan where we hit a car in a Sprinter. Not good enough and every time I see another tragic level crossing accident it makes me sick knowing what the passengers involved are going through.

My most sincere condolences go out to the victims, their families and their friends.

[Unco]

i dare say boom gates and a better warning lights system may have helped.

[LTDHO]

I can't believe the locals are complaining about the government from sitting on their hads re: the safety of that crossing. There has been 4 in 25 years and the last was 6 years ago.

It's a horrific accident. Very sad. Condolences goes out to the familes of the deceased.

[Tuddy200]

I don't think it's only the goverment at fault here either. Parific National own the lines don't they? V/Line were using the lines? All parties that use the tracks should be involved in maintaining and checking/inspecting all level crossing even more so when locals say that it's one of the most dangerous.

Locals are saying again that there are many more bad level crossings, it will be something to see what happens at these crossings after the investigation.

My condolences goes out to the familes & friends of the deceased.

[Full Noise]

Pacific National sold the network back to the government as they wanted it back and were prepared to pay the price. It’s the government’s problem.

[Tuddy200]

You are correct (My mistake). Combination or Goverment and V/Line (Which in the end line are one in the same).

[4Vman]

Horrific accident... just looking at the overhead pics in the paper it looks like the truck collided with the centre carriage of the train.. i.e the train was half way through the intersention when impact occured. Boom gates may not have stopped this one.

[Mental]

My old man drives trucks over that way, I sheet myself when I heard the news. Had a chat with the dad and he reckons that that particular crossing is a ***** in general and reckons that amber warning lights well before (and were talking well before) the crossing have been essential for years! He said its on a ***** of a bend and you don't necessarily see the crossing lights in time when your driving a truck, it takes a fair bit to haul up 60t!

Anywho, all my love and good will goes out to all those directly and indirectly involved with the accident. The tautliner in question belongs to the Canny trucking group out of Wangaratta, they reguarly do runs out that way. If anyone here is from Wangaratta and knows the trucking company personnel, please be sure to give them our condolences.

[Citric GT]

Boom gates wont physically stop anything, but they provide a visible obstruction when the sun is shining on the lights. Boom gates should be mandatory on all level crossings that go over a highway/busy road.

To suggest getting rid of all level crossings is ridiculous.

[SlikedTurb]

firstly my heart felt condolences go out to all affected families.
i don't understand why everyone is so quick to lay the blame on the Gov't or the rail company. AFAIK there was nothing wrong with the crossing, bells and lights were both working from all accounts. the only conclusion that can be reached is that it was simply driver error. if you look at the number of cars and trains that have travelled through that particular crossing and compare those figures with the number of incidents that have occured, i dare say it would be less than 1% maybe even less than 0.5%. To me that doesn't show a deficiency in the quality of the crossing.
all that aside this is still TRUELY A TRAGEDY.

[Citric GT]

Originally Posted by SlikedTurb

firstly my heart felt condolences go out to all affected families.
i don't understand why everyone is so quick to lay the blame on the Gov't of the rail company. AFAIK there was nothing wrong with the crossing, bells and lights were both working from all accounts. the only conclusion that can be reached is that it was simply driver error. if you look at the number of cars and trains that have travelled through that particular crossing and compare those figures with the number of incidents that have occured, i dare say it would be less than 1% maybe even less than 0.5%. To me that doesn't show a deficiency in the quality of the crossing.
all that aside this is still TRUELY A TRAGEDY.

Spot on.

[arm79]

Originally Posted by SlikedTurb

firstly my heart felt condolences go out to all affected families.
i don't understand why everyone is so quick to lay the blame on the Gov't or the rail company. AFAIK there was nothing wrong with the crossing, bells and lights were both working from all accounts. the only conclusion that can be reached is that it was simply driver error. if you look at the number of cars and trains that have travelled through that particular crossing and compare those figures with the number of incidents that have occured, i dare say it would be less than 1% maybe even less than 0.5%. To me that doesn't show a deficiency in the quality of the crossing.
all that aside this is still TRUELY A TRAGEDY.

I agree. While it is truely a tradgey, it always amazes me how quickly everyone is to jump and blame someone. And at the moment it always seems to be the government. We should start looking elsewhere for to account for the problems. It scares me that Australia is starting to become a society where it always someone elses fault, and not take a personal responsibility for the problem.

We seem to have had a spate of road vehicle vs train accidents in the past couple of years. More than I can remember in previous recent history. I'm sure the level crossings meet all the required standards. If a truck driver knows there is a hard to see crossing in that area, why doesn't he slow down for it. Be prepared. If its foggy and hard to see, why barrel across a crossing before slowing down and making sure there isn't a train there first.

We can't build a gated level crossing every road/track intersection. People need to be careful in these intersections, full stop. Its not rocket science. Once again it seems to be complete driver stupidity that caused the problem, and we will have to spend a few million $$$ accounting for the lowest common denominator of road drivers.

[SlikedTurb]

Originally Posted by arm79

I agree. While it is truely a tradgey, it always amazes me how quickly everyone is to jump and blame someone. And at the moment it always seems to be the government. We should start looking elsewhere for to account for the problems. It scares me that Australia is starting to become a society where it always someone elses fault, and not take a personal responsibility for the problem.

We seem to have had a spate of road vehicle vs train accidents in the past couple of years. More than I can remember in previous recent history. I'm sure the level crossings meet all the required standards. If a truck driver knows there is a hard to see crossing in that area, why doesn't he slow down for it. Be prepared. If its foggy and hard to see, why barrel across a crossing before slowing down and making sure there isn't a train there first.

We can't build a gated level crossing every road/track intersection. People need to be careful in these intersections, full stop. Its not rocket science. Once again it seems to be complete driver stupidity that caused the problem, and we will have to spend a few million $$$ accounting for the lowest common denominator of road drivers.

Very well said. i read a very good quote. "Rail crossings should be treated like a gun, always assume they are loaded." slightly off topic: i see quite often, people driving on the wrong side of the road to go around a boom gate that has been engaged. no amount of safety measures are going to stop people from being D*ckheads.