Modesto Train Tips Over
Hi, I’m Ed Smith, a Modesto Personal Injury Attorney. Often times when we hear about a train accident, we visualize tragedy, trauma and fatality. Check out this unusual situation in a recent Modesto train accident.
What Happened?
Fortunately, none of the employees of Modesto & Empire Traction Co. were injured after a train derailment on Tuesday Morning.
The incident happened just after 7:00 am on Tuesday, when the slowly passing train on Yosemite Boulevard at the Beard Industrial District started to come off the track. Seven train cars were either lying on their sides or tilted off of the track. The train engine pulling close to 30 train cars derailed near the tail end of the train.
Large Crane Needed to Lift Train Cars Back In Place
Just after the train derailed, traffic was reported along Yosemite Boulevard. By noon, County Road Workers and The California Highway Patrol (CHP) closed down Yosemite Boulevard between Mitchell Road and Riverside Drive so that a large crane could correct the overturned train cars.
Yosemite Road Closed for Repairs
David Petty from GBW Rail Services stated that closing the road was required for the work to be done safely and to keep motorists clear from any debris that may have come from lifting the train cars back to their proper place.
Derailment Work Also Performed on Lapham Drive
After 2:00 pm, The CHP Online Traffic Incident page posted that Yosemite Boulevard was again open for traffic. After Yosemite Boulevard opened up again, Lapham Drive, a street parallel to Yosemite Boulevard, was closed for subsequent derailment work.
Thankfully No Injuries Reported After Modesto Train Tips Over
Following the derailment, little was known about the cause of the cars turning over. According to Tom Nielsen, the senior vice president of Beard Land and Investment Co., (Which owns the railroad), all that had been determined was that the train cars were moving at a slow speed, likely 5mph or less, and that no one had been injured from the derailment. Nielsen was not sure whether the train cars that derailed were being pushed into the industrial park rather than being pulled from the industrial park.
Workers Carefully Save What Was Left from Wreckage
Nielsen says that in order to preserve the train cars and the railroad track, the process of lifting the cars by crane must be a slow one. A bigger railroad company would just push the damaged cars away, but since M&ET railroad has a modest mainline of only 5 miles, they must work very carefully to save what is left from the wreckage. Before it was possible to move the wrecked train by crane, heavy train wheels would be removed so that the trains could be moved more easily.
Causes of Railroad Crossing Accidents
The U.S Department of Transportation alongside volunteer organizations are encouraging law enforcement action and public awareness concerning proper behavior and railroad crossing safety near railroad operations.
Auto Accidents at or Near Railroad Crossings
Although the main cause of railroad accidents is due to broken welds or rails, a common cause for train crossing accidents is auto collisions near or at a railroad crossing. Vehicles may become caught at crossings due to faulty gates or signals, or confusion on the drivers part. A second cause of accidents at railroad crossings is train breaking failures and high speeds, which may cause trains to advance towards crossings too quickly and hit other trains on the track. Aside from collisions with other vehicles or trains, trains moving at high speeds through train crossings that lack sufficient signals and/or gates may lead to accidents involving pedestrians or possibly train passengers. Accidents involving speeding trains and pedestrians often lead to devastating fatalities and injuries.
Modesto Personal Injury Attorney
Hi I’m Ed Smith, a Modesto Personal Injury Attorney. Please call me if you or a loved one has suffered from an injury at (209) 227-1931 for free and friendly advice. I have been serving Modesto residents with their wrongful death and personal injury claims for more than 34 years.
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Source of Modesto Train Tips Over :http://www.modbee.com/news/article101552547.html
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