Today I learned a lot about the dangers of railroad crossings and trains. I also learned about the proper safety procedures that we all need to follow to stay safe in and out of our automobiles when near trains and railroad crossings. Whenever there is a death related to trains, it doesn’t just affect the victim, it affects the entire community. It is very important that we are careful near trains because it will devastate everyone that was connected to the victim and the community. Not only are you risking your own life, but you are also risking the safety of any passengers you may have, and also the passengers on the train. Deaths from trains at railroad crossings also have emotional damage that come with them. The train driver and
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You should also make a habit of checking both ways at the railroad crossing, just to make sure it is safe to cross.
The federal government has determined that no matter what, the train will always have the right of way, so any accidents that happen between you and a train will always be the driver of the automobile’s fault. They have determined this for a few different reasons. One of these is because a train cannot swerve to avoid a collision. If you are in front of a train, and you do not move, you will be hit. The only thing a train conductor can do is blow the horn and hope that you move in time.
Another reason that the federal government decided that train always have the right of way is because they are not able to stop very quickly. A 12 million pound train going fifty-five miles per hour will take a whole mile to come to a complete stop. As stated in the video, the train would take up to eighteen football fields to stop! A train hitting your car would be the same as you running over a soda can. The final reason that trains always have the right of way is because they are so much bigger than cars, and are deceivingly fast. This makes is so the train causes much more
For nearly two years, a killer literally followed wheatfield America’s railroad tracks to slay unsuspecting victims before disappearing back into the pre-lit dawn. His modus operandi was always the same – he struck near the rail lines he illegally rode, then stowed away on the next freight train to come his way. Always ahead of the law.
Sanchez’s love for trains since his early teenage days led him to his career as a Locomotive Engineer in Metrolink commuter rail system. He loved his job, had a few disciplinary issues here and there; absences and failure to follow rules set mostly in the use of his cell phone during operation hours. On September 12, 2008, a day like any other, he was up ready for his daily routine. On this day, Sanchez was chatting with a teenage rail fan that he planned on sneaking in later in the day. He started by disobeying protocol; he passed a yellow rail light past Chatsworth station failing to notify the dispatcher and call out. After passing this station, he made a critical mistake. As always, he doesn’t obey some of the rail light signals, seeing a red light ahead signaling him to STOP, he fails to signal dispatch on signal whilst not stopping. His train passed over a power switch turned meant for an oncoming freight train; the two trains collided, killing 25 people, leaving many injured.
The railroad played a major role in forging the history of many countries including the United States of America. The railroad began to bring people to places that before then where only accessed by weeks of dangerous travel over harsh and deadly terrain. The industrial revolution had ushered in a completely new era. The new era was one of mass production, supply and demand, and new requirements of industry. The growth of industry had created new demands for transit, trade, and more robust supply lines. The railroad boom across the U.S. had spread and proceeded to grow the economy quickly therefore, many people began using the rail roads just as quickly. The rail market continued to grow and by the 1860’s all major cities within the United States were connected by rail.
“At a news conference in Washington, the president and chairman of Amtrak, Thomas M. Downs, said the derailment had been caused by the removal of bolts that hold a 36-inch-long connecting bar to two pieces of 39-foot-long rail” (Mydans, 1995, para. 18). “Amtrak executives said that the derailment was an act of sabotage that could have taken one person only 10 minutes to carry out” (Mydans, 1995, para. 16). The most interest part is that whom ever moved the railroad tracks left no traces of their work other than the letters and had to know the wiring system of the railroad track. The railroad track has sensors in it so that if it moves the conductor knows to stop the train or find out what is wrong up ahead. The next part of this that makes no sense is that Amtrak says that one man can move 39 feet rail 2 degrees which weigh roughly 130 pounds per yard (Wabtec, 2017). There is absolutely no way that one man jumped the track wiring and then moved 1690 pounds of track in ten minutes. Moreover, the area that the train was derailed was in the middle of nowhere. The closest road was 38 miles away. Two decades later the FBI has not been able to figure out who committed this crime and has offered a $300,000 reward for information to capture the terrorist. This paper will discuss two possible suspects that could have derailed the train Sons of the Gestapo and a government conspiracy
Rail in Chicago is essential to Railroads throughout the country of North America. Chicago is also the known for it’s center in the railways throughout America. In comparison to any other city in the country, Chicago offers more railroad tracks to the surrounding states. “Chicago today remains the busiest rail hub in the United States. Each day, nearly 1,300 trains pass through the region (500 freight and 760 passenger). Chicago handles one-fourth of the nation's freight rail traffic, each day handling 37,500 railcars” (About CREATE). Being the center for American freight Chicago also is known for it railyards. The railyards are gateways to the other rail tracks. It is home t...
Question at Issue - How are the engineer and railroad negligent? What could have been done by the engineer and railroad company to prevent the accident? Would more training have invoked a different preventative response from the engineer? Are the current railroad safety regulations sufficient? Are there any warnings on the road before it curves towards the track? If you didn’t know the area would you clearly be able to spot a train? What if a car was stalled on the tracks? Would a train
Imagine you are asleep and it is a normal night just like any other, when all of a sudden you smell smoke from your bedroom. Immediately, you open your door and you cannot see anything due to the heavy layer of smoke. Your first reaction is to call the fire department and within minutes, they show up at your house. Some firefighters start battling the flames engulfing your house, while others rush into the flames searching for you and anyone else in your family, including your pets. This is just another day at the office for the firefighters but for you it’s a traumatic event and you can’t thank the firefighters enough for saving your life.
The earliest railroads in the United States were short wooden tramways connecting mines or quarries with nearby streams, which horses could draw heavier loads than on the common roads. At first the railroad faced strong opposition especially from canal backers, they were considered dangerous because flying sparks could set fires. Breaks were feeble and it was difficult to stop in the right place. To protect its investment in the Erie Canal, the carrying of freight on railroads was temporarily prohibited by New York Legislature (Kennedy 313).
It is very important to be very aware and cautious around railroad crossings. They can be verydangerous and getting stuck on the tracks could become a death sentence. There are multiple things to look out for and to do that will help you become safer around railroad crossings. Someof the things you should do is to always slow down when coming to a railroad crossing. Whenyou slow down you have more time to assess the situation and see if it is totally safe to go across. Another thing is you should never pass a car going the same way as you. That is unsafe and can put you in a deadly position. Trains use their horns when they approach to help and warn anyone near. When you approach the crossing it would be wise
Police officers have procedures they must follow. Anything can happen while on the line-of-duty. Officers should be ready for any situation that is thrown at them. They are not always ready for the things they can’t control though. Just because they have a badge does not mean they are not human. We must respect what they do for a city because it is a dangerous job. An officer 's job is not always easy, a life can be taken in an instant without the right procedures.
Purchasing a car is one of the hugest or biggest accomplishments that a person can achieve on their own. However, what happens when that purchase turns out to also be the worst decision that was ever made? The purchase was a success and a goal was achieved, but the moment the key is turned and the engine is started the contribution to environmental harm begins. As the car is driven, the gasoline fumes that are released from the car contribute to the other many factors and pollutants that damage the environment. Not only is the purchase now a contributor to the depletion of clean air, but it could also play a part in the depletion of someone’s health. For example, asthma or bronchitis could develop in an adult or child as a direct result of breathing in noxious automotive fumes. Depending on where one lives, there could be strict regulations on air pollution. One must be accountable for any and all contributions made to the demise of what was once a healthy Earth. One must be accountable for his or her own carbon footprint. Some individuals have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprints and cause less harm to the environment by purchasing electric cars.
Teenagers are getting back on the roads and behind the wheel meaning the is a higher risk of accidents. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in 15-to 20-year olds. Automakers are creating ways to make their automobiles safer in order to reduce these deaths. Teenage drivers are inexperienced and need the extra protection to keep them safe if an incident was to occur. Automobile safety features are necessary for the teenage driver to stay protected and alert.
Public transportation is an essential part of a city. A good public transit can encourage a city’s economic activities and can provide its citizen a convenient life. Does our Phoenix public transit work well? Does it provide sufficient service to the citizen? From my experience, the answer is no. This November I tried to attend the popular State Fair in Phoenix. However, I found that there were not any buses or metros could take me to the fair directly. It means I need 2 hours or more spend on the public transits. As the sixth most populous city nationwide (“Phoenix Quick Fact” 1), compared with Los Angeles and other big cities in America, Phoenix’s public transportation is indeed subpar. Due to Los Angeles has 154 bus lines and 30 metros (“Schedule”), New York has 316 bus lines and 28 subways(“Maps & Timetables”), while Phoenix only has 98 bus lines, and the number of metro line is only one! (“Route Schedules & Maps”) The problem is
In 2007, the world consumed 5.3 billion tons of coal, 31.1 billion tons of oil, 2.92 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, and 65,000 tons of uranium. All of these energy needs could have been met with only 6,600 tons of thorium, an abundant, slightly radioactive element found in the Earth’s crust.
There is a massive amount of car accidents that occur every day, that consequently become fatal. In many cases, the driver and the passengers do not have on a seat belt to prevent them from being thrown out of the car or colliding with another car, causing them to be thrown against the dashboard or some other tragic accident. Some people may think, “Wearing a seatbelt isn’t cool”, “I’m only going down the street” or sometimes just irresponsibly forget to put on their seatbelt when they are inside of a vehicle. You may think that wearing a seatbelt is not trendy and you are only making a quick trip going down the street to the corner store, however, you cannot control others actions on the road anything can happen in the blink of an eye.