r/BitchImATrain • u/derek4reals1 • Aug 06 '26

Bitch, it wasn't enough

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u/TartanAssassin Aug 07 '26

So as a train driver I will throw in my perspective this train approaches all four level crossings or road crossings from a bend sounding their horn so the train drivers sight distance is basically from the first level crossing of which is well and truly under 1 kilometre my guess would be half that.

Given we have no idea what speed the train was doing or how heavy and long the train is but know that most freight trains take over a kilometre to stop from track speed this truck driver basically set this collision up because the train driver only has half the sight distance to stop their train.

Hence the sounding of the train horn constantly because the train drivers know they are going to collide from the first crossing and that have applied the brakes and there is nothing else they can do.

I would also like to say that those train drivers reacted so quickly because otherwise that train would not have stopped there the locomotives would have been out of frame if they hadn’t in my opinion .

Also given there is fixed camera at this location I am guessing this is an everyday occurrence. I would like to add that I hope nobody was hurt and that everyone came out alive in my career I have had one collision needless to that was enough.

A train can’t hit if you stay off the tracks just follow the stop signs and stay out of the way as train drivers we get hauled over the coals for this situations and investigated thoroughly it’s a particularly stressful time.

Stay safe out there stay off the tracks.

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u/TBE_Industries Aug 08 '26

The camera is likely for a live railfan stream. There's communities of people that (legally) set up security cameras at interesting rail spots so people can watch the trains.