Signalling system & trucker at fault in Portage fatal train collision

USA: The driver of a truck that blocked a railway line and the crossing signalling system that allowed him to do so

Photo: WGN-TV Wreckage on top of the South Shore RR train

are blamed for a fatal rail crash last year according to a report issued by the Federal Railroad Administration in the US.

Two passengers and a railroad employee were killed in the accident which occurred on 18 June 1998 when a South Shore RR struck the double-trailer truck near Portage, Indiana.

The truck was leaving a steelworks where it had collected a load consisting of 3 steel coils, together weighing about 50 tons. The road crossed two sets of rail lines, both double tracked. The first carries trains of the South Shore RR and the other belongs to CSX.

The crossings are each protected by half-barrier gates and flashing, warning lights which are linked to both set of tracks. This should provide warnings to each crossing of approaching trains on either of the lines. There is however a difference in the method used by each railroad. Conrail's system provides a warning 45 seconds before the arrival of a train whereas the South Shore line allows 26 seconds before activating the crossing.

On this occasion, the truck was halted by the lowering of the barriers at the Conrail line leaving the truck trailer straddling the South Shore tracks. While waiting for the Conrail train to pass, the other set of gates lowered as a two-car South Shore RR train approached. The truck driver saw the train, but could do nothing to move out of the way because of the 9000 foot-long Conrail train which was still passing.

The commuter train was travelling at about 68 mph and 500 feet away when the engineer spotted the danger. Although he applied the brakes, the speed reduced to only around 42 mph before the inevitable collision.

The coils of steel were dislodged from the truck by the force of the impact. One of these tore through the first car where the fatalities occured.