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Hudson Bergen light rail accident
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Another train accident involving a vehicle blowing through a railroad crossing has occurred yet again today. Today it was a trash truck.
This incident happened in Hoboken NJ near the 2nd Street Station at New York Ave. Apparently multiple LED red traffic lights were not enough to communicate to the truck driver that a light rail train was coming. The light rail train collided with a rush hour crowd on board. Luckily injuries were minimal and the light rail car suffered minor damage, mostly a shattered operator's windshield. Passengers were transferred to another light rail car and sent on their way.
Most crossings along the Hudson-Bergen light rail line are protected by traffic lights. The train trips circuits in the tracks turning the lights red and the operator is given a proceed signal. If the light has not yet changed the operator is aware of this with a signal.
Red lights are not the best protection for a highly traveled rail line, heavy or light. Motorists have a tendency to run lights and motorists may not even know they are at a railroad crossing. This is not the first time vehicles have run in front of Hudson-Bergen light rail trains. In one incident a few years ago a bus slammed into a light rail car at the Lincoln Harbor crossing causing extensive damage to both bus and train.
The crossings need traditional railroad crossing protection with railroad crossbuck signs , flashers, bells and gates. Also the trains do not give traditional 2 long, 1 short and another long horn blasts when approaching crossings like heavy rail trains.
Light rail is a very safe form of travel given the amount of trips traveled a day. However, it only takes one incident to bring possible disaster. Instead of a trash truck it could have been a gasoline tanker.
Click here for pictures.
Sources: nj.com, ABC 7 New York & CBS 2 New York.
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