Well, maybe there should be a special signal to let ppl know that there is more than one train causing the gate to go down. Ya think?

I really hate the new Palatine train station since it blocks so much of the view of the tracks and you have to depend on the signals to be working. Not saying this applies to this story. Just sayin' cuz I think the train crossings in Palatine are rather dangerous.

I'm also not condoning driving around gates but I don't think that the punishment for doing so should be death.

I feel absolutely horrible for this man's family, but a special signal to indicate more than one train is totally unnecessary. If the gates are down, you don't go. It is a hard and fast rule. People do not take the consequences of walking on or driving over the tracks when the gates are down seriously enough. That's why Palatine has to send out police to ticket riders not obeying the signals in the mornings - because nobody takes the consequences seriously enough. Just because you think you know what is going on doesn't mean you do, and you never know what is going to happen on those tracks. To the people who run across the tracks in the morning right in front of the train - have you ever thought about what would happen if you slipped on those metal tracks? Hopefully this man's death will remind all the people who cross when the gates are down that they ARE actually risking their lives and that it is NEVER worth it.

It's worth pointing out that he also saw the express train. Levgard was heading North on Brockway. Trains on the UP Northwest line run left-handed, which means that the inbound train stopped at the station was on the northern track.

The first track Levgard crossed was the empty, outbound, southern track. The middle track had the express and was therefore visible to Levgard. The express obscured the local that was at the station.

No extra signals were needed. Just some common sense. When the gates are down, you stop. Don't cross the tracks.

"""Palatine police reviewed the video with representatives from the UP Northwest railroad Wednesday, Jan. 4."""
Boy I wish I could leave with the video recorder ---the train black box---the signal house recorder---the NO drug/alcohol test on the train crew and go rent a car and change the data to what the cops were told a MONTH ago at my next collision like the killer railroad does.

"""a Metra train was stopped at the Palatine station west""" a metra train sitting causing a false activation of the gates and a false clear to the driver is a deadly trap and against any responsible companies rules.

So the gates mal-functioned

What idiot drives """ An express train traveling on another track and traveling between 50 mph and 75 mph""" through a train station?

To "BP" - the article says that the train was stopped at "the Palatine Station west of where the crash occurred." All trains stop West of where the crash occurred - that is where the train station is. This does not mean it was traveling West. It was reported that it was in an Inbound train (#624) headed to the city which, after loading passengers would be headed East, toward the city and toward Brockway where the crash occurred. This was not a Metra train sitting causing false activation. It was a train that once it closed its doors would be moving in the direction of where the accident occurred. The gates had every reason to be down. Also, Metra and the State of IL authorizes express trains to go that fast. The train driver was simply complying with policy, and is no idiot. If you have a problem with the speed petition Metra or the State to require express trains to slow when there are other trains on the track.

Accidents like this haven't stop ppl from driving around gates so far and this one isn't likely to either.

If you don't think an extra signal is needed to warn ppl of a fast-moving train, the how about preventing trains that are stopped at stations from activating the gates? Then, the gates being down would actually mean something.

While I would never drive around the gates myself (cuz I can't afford the ticket), I find it very aggravating to be stuck at a gate while a totally stopped train loads and unloads passengers.

Again for you hard-arses, it is illegal to drive around the gates, but death should not be the penalty. What are you ppl thinking?

Ellen - First and foremost, the gates being down does mean something. It means there is a train or another vehicle within close proximity to those gates. What state that train/vehicle is in is not meant to be determined by the person waiting at the gates. As I pointed out the stopped train was a train that would be headed in the direction of the accident. I don't know in what state of the process it was in, but it was ultimately going to be headed towards the site of the accident.

Yes, I hate being stuck for unloading/loading passengers too but I'm not crossing those tracks for anything while the gates are down. Are you really telling me you or others don't have 5 minutes in your life to spare to ensure your safety? Give me a break, nobody is that important.

Death isn't a penalty, nobody is intentionally inflicting punishment on a person crossing the tracks in front of a train. Death is a consequence for which you assume the risk if you cross with the gates down. Palatine, and the people of Palatine, wanted a train station and apparently we wanted it in the middle of our downtown where many roads intersect in close proximity to the station (so many people can easily get to it). For better or for worse this means that occasionally the trains will put down the gates for a longer period than necessary. But frankly I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Ellen, the gates are less than 400 feet from the end of the platform. It's not possible for a train, even stopped, to activate the gets THEN start moving and not cross the 400 feet before the mandated period of time to clear the crossing has elapsed. The gates have to come down before a train at the Palatine station begins moving. Either that or people would get less time to clear the Brockway crossing.

The gates being down meant that the train in the station was going to cross the gates. It may not have crossed in ten seconds, it may have been thirty seconds, or forty seconds yet. As you said, accidents haven't stopped people from driving around gates. Another warning signal isn't going to do anything. It's very simple, if the gates are down, WAIT. There's absolutely no harm in just sitting and waiting for the train to pass. Thirty seconds are NOT worth your life.

I'm not suggesting death is an appropriate penalty, but it is the repercussion for driving in front of a train. You have to learn to separate the difference between a penalty and the repercussion of an action. They are not the same.

Actually the rule is in place since the sitting train shorting out the circuit is equivelant to gates failing in safe position.

http://www.blet660.com/uploads/up_gcor_transition_guide.pdf
6.32.2 Automatic Warning Devices
A. Automatic Warning Devices Malfunctioning
Procedure 2
Unless otherwise instructed by signal employee in charge, train must approach road crossing prepared to stop. If automatic warning devices are not working comply with Procedure 1.
The train may proceed over the crossing at 15 MPH without stopping if:
• The devices are seen working.

or
• Instructed by the train dispatcher or track bulletin to proceed at 15 mph.

When leading end of movement completely occupies the crossing, proceed at maximum authorized speed.

The sitting train will cause the gates to tetter totter because the train wheels short out the circuitry in these junk 50 year old signals the railroads reem us 100s of $1000s for. Add the second train and you get tail ring. Old Blue gets loose and his chain gets across the tracks the gates go down.

Comply with Procedure 2
A crossing having a broken gate(s) is considered as having working devices when the balance of the automatic warning devices are seen to be working

BP - a sitting train doesn't short the circuit and does not make the gates teeter-totter in Palatine. I don't know what your deal is as your posts are fairly bizarre and you seem to just generally have something against railroads since you troll Patch for stories around the country about RR accidents and post strange comments. The guidelines you posted, which aren't relevant anyway, are related to the Union Pacific line in California - not Illinois.

BP, what are you talking about? Your first post was a barely coherent rant of conspiracy theories and now you talk about the gates failing in safe position when in fact they did not fail. There's no evidence whatsoever that the gates were not working. Aside from your conspiracy theory that everyone involved conspired to "change the data," do you have any actual evidence that the gates didn't work?

Didn't think so.

INTERFERENCE / INTEGRITY OF ACTIVE TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE SYSTEMS
Interference with normal functioning of an active control device system diminishes the driver’s perception of the integrity of the system. Interference can result from, but is not limited to, trains, locomotives or other railroad equipment standing within the system’s approach circuit, and testing or performing work on the control device systems or on track and other railroad systems or structures. The integrity of the control device system may be adversely affected if proper measures are not taken to provide for safety of highway traffic when such work is underway. It is important that Railroad employees are familiar with Federal regulations and railroad procedures which detail measures to be taken prior to commencing activities, which might interfere with track circuitry.

Then add on """How hard would it be to screw safety cones to the street to keep traffic from jumping lanes?

BP - I know what stories you post on because, unlike you, I am not an idiot. I can simply click on your name and it shows all of your Patch posts. Wow, genius huh? Now why don't you leave the meaningful conversation about train safety to the people who can form coherent thoughts and sentences.

My coherent thoughts and sentences aren't bought by the railroad. Are yours? Click on my name now!!!

@Vanessa

Sorry if you don't like my tone but I am just in such disbelief at the cold attitude people are taking about this story.

This is happening often enought that I barely even paid attention to it when I heard it. Just another train hitting a car.

There are solutions to this problem but people like the ones on here defending the railroad don't seem to care.

The express train should have been blasting a whistle when approaching - especially when it sees there is a train stopped near the crossing. But, people seem to want to build condos right next to the train tracks and then they expect the trains to pass by quietly. Well, the train tracks were there first - so perhaps the consequences of buying a condo next to the tracks and crossings should be that they have to hear train whistles.

There could also be gates that come down on both sides making it impossible to go around the gates. They would have to be able to swing in the direction of cars stuck on the tracks and trying to get off.

There could be a strip like parking garages have that allow you to exit but not to enter that come up when the gates go down. So you would know that you are going to get a flat tire if you break the law.

It's all about money - as most things are - and big corps not wanting to spend a dime they don't have to.

Someday it may be someone you love that gets killed.

"drove around down crossing gates before being hit by a Metra express train Dec. 27,"
"police reviewed the video with representatives from the UP Northwest railroad Wednesday, Jan. 4"

So what was the trail of evidence for 8 days?

"""An express train traveling on another track and traveling between 50 mph and 75 mph struck""" There's a event recorder on the train that gives the train speed, brakes, horns, etc. What doctor lab is the recorder at?

"""Several residents had asked about whether the gates had possibly malfunctioned.""" There's a event recorder in the gate house that would have showed the gate condition that the railroad took bye-bye.

Call 911 and see how many fail calls have came in.
Call the number on the gate house and see how many complaints have came in? (good luck with that)
Ask the real eye witnesses. Whoops they were wrote off as deaf, blind or stupid in these corrupt investigations.

Step : 2 The Operation Lifesaver phonies will come in with a dog and pony show and it won't be fix the problem as the main theme like a real railroad safety group would do.

In Elmhurst, the Union Pacific has installed a new system that shouts out a warning "Danger-another train comming" at the grade crossings located by the Elmhurst Metra station, as another train, on a different track approaches. It also has a flashing light board spelling the same. It is loud, and you can't miss it. Designed to let people know that the stopped Metra train is not the only train in the area. I have seen fewer people cross downed gates with this system in place. Bottom line, stay off the crossings! People will make mistakes, and some times those decisions are deadly, and that is awful. I do feel the railroads have come along way to improve grade crossings, and most accidents are NOT there fault.

to all yes i understand these are the facts stated, all i have to say it was horrible ,and that I don't want anyone else to get hurt on the tracks, thank god only one person was killed , and no one else even injured ,i know the engineer had to see the most horrible thing and I pray for him/her ,because there was nothing they could do , just wish they could make it impossible for anyone ,smart ,dumb or dare-devil to cross the tracks when a fast ,slow or stopped train is near a crossing . I guess we all need to stop being in such a hurry, life is too short! please always remember STOP LOOK LISTEN. Have a great evening to all .

$132 million we spent so UP can save $20 bucks a day in labor costs? And the passenger trains don't slow down because? February 28, 2011|
Safer crossings? New signs as freight limits lifted on Metra's UP West line
Signs added but longstanding policies for rush-hour train traffic that protected pedestrians will be lifted By Richard Wronski, Tribune reporter Freight trains will no longer be held back from rolling through commuter rail stations in the west suburbs during rush hour beginning this week, in exchange for new safety systems, fences and gates designed to prevent accidents with pedestrians. Railroad officials Tuesday will activate a new safety system on Metra's Union Pacific West Line that's being billed as the most comprehensive of its kind in the U.S. — one that uses signs with both visual and audio alerts to warn pedestrians to watch for more than one train.
The new measures are a tradeoff for Union Pacific and Metra, lifting longstanding policies designed to protect pedestrians when one train is in a station while another approaches. Now, freight trains will roll alongside Metra trains during peak commuting times and when passengers are boarding and exiting at eight Union Pacific West stations. In addition, Metra will ease its policy that prohibits commuter trains from entering a station when another train is picking up or dropping off passengers.

Tell me Mr. Jim why this train wasn't speeding!!!

This article reads...
"""An express train traveling on another track and traveling between 50 mph and 75 mph struck Levgard's 1999 green Mercury Sable."""

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-02-28/news/ct-met-metra-signals-20110227_1_freight-trains-commuter-trains-union-pacific-west-line
The new measures are a tradeoff for Union Pacific and Metra, lifting longstanding policies designed to protect pedestrians when one train is in a station while another approaches. Now, freight trains will roll alongside Metra trains during peak commuting times and when passengers are boarding and exiting at eight Union Pacific West stations.

Buccephalus ---- Wow like give a flying horse pile about UP besided them thieves and liers. Thanks for the explanation on why the train was """speeeeeding""". IF THEY WERE SOOOO CONCERNED THE LOADS WOULDN'T BE SITTING FOR DAYS NOW WOULD THEY?

How about UP south

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaVPASJmeMU

Buccephalus I see now how that UP Scheme worked. Hmmm--Metras (tax-payers) part would be what $66 million ---Total work was maybe $16 million and UP made $50 million!!!

The “Another Train Warning System” is part of a $132 million project funded 50-50 by Union Pacific and Metra and comes at a time when the railroads are lifting “train curfews” to allow freight and commuter trains to approach the West Line stations while commuter trains are stopped and offloading passengers, including during rush hour.

I am a railfan, and you are not. I think the UP does a pretty good job at safety. Go see how fast the express trains fly down the BNSF line during rush hour. Just keep off the tracks. I'm done with this Mr. BP. Relax a bit please.

I grew up about 20 minutes out of NYC. The New York, New Haven and Hartford RR went right thru my town. But I never waited at a crossing for a train to pass. NEVER!!! ALL crossings were done with bridges and I don't ever remember hearing about any trains going thru my town hitting cars.

Palatine has had very poor planning to even allow the RR to be built thru the town on grade level. There are way too many crossings in Palatine and most have limited view to anyone approaching in a car. I go out of my way routinely to avoid Palatine RR crossings.

There is nothing safe about what the RR and poor city planning has done to Palatine.

Ellen, the town exists because it was built AFTER the railroad. Stupid town for not stopping the railroad before the town existed!

According to the Palatine Historical Society, the Illinois & Wisconsin RR was built through to Cary in 1854. The town of Palatine was then founded TWELVE years later in 1866.

This isn't the east coast, out here most towns exist because of the railroad. Grade separating an entire RR is beyond expensive. There is not a single one in this country that is and even those that have a lot of separation did so with a great deal of Federal funding.

You forgot the part where the railroads slaughtered all the buffalo ---Buried thousands of Chinese and Irish track workers ---Even gave train rides to people than had them sign over the 160 acres homestead land for the ride back.
1862
Homestead Act encourages settlement of "unoccupied" western lands.

Union Pacific Railroad authorized to build a line from Nebraska to Utah to meet the Central Pacific.

BP, How about all the wild animals and pets that are run over by cars each day; not to mention the pedestrians that have been killed by vehicles in our history? Lets not forget, the Native American Indians we took the land from. If you want to get into history, realize it wasn't just the railroads that did this.

This thread is totally getting off the point. Bottom-line a very nice man in Palatine, made a huge fatal mistake in judgement. No one else is too blame here, he made the decision to go around the gates that were provided for safety. That's all Folks!

I want to share one more thing. I truly hope that Bogie can see how many people his life has touched. It's touched by strangers here on this site, it's of course touched more intimately by those who have known him in real life. Bogie was, and will always be loved by the people who knew him in Palatine. May he rest in peace....

You all better learn from this. Slow your life down a bit. Dont go around train warning gates, dont text and drive, dont say things just to piss someone off. Think about your friends and family, how they now would feel is you get hurt or worse.

Do the right thing. Dont smoke. Dont commit road rage. Pay forward. What else?

Buccephalus (spelled incorrectly)...apparently on top of everything else you are a historian. Grow a heart...

Lisa ---the railroads have several paid """Buccephalus (spelled incorrectly)'s...""" to go around acting like sugar wouldn't melt in the pooooor railroads mouth following the railroads huge path of death and destruction. My todays doctor Craig Doherty ---RAILROAD.

Now your just getting strange. Do you like sports? You could use a hobby perhaps. My hobby, why model trains of course. A big Penn Central fan, I know all to well about bad train mgt. That's just one thing that makes trains so much fun! Try it, you might like it! My girlfriend thinks it a little nuts, but she has been known to train watch with me in nice weather. BP, no more coffee for you! You only live once, so "just keep off the tracks". Have a good weekend.

My civic duty Jim Sawyer
1. To take charge of this post and all government property in view.
My junk Lionel train (big whoop) wouldn't stay on the tracks so I traded it for a little pool table when I was like 14 years old.
In like 2000 Lioinel came out with I think a 100 year anniverary clock advertised on TV. My 16 year old was like "Where are all the FU'd train hit crashed car parts." I started to get on to him for swearing but hey he had a very good point.

You post your foamer pictures on YouTube? I use those for the dirty railroad police FRA complaints sometimes. That don't do anything but at least they know I know.

I give up. Good night. I'm off to do some railfanning. Long live the UP, and Go Amtrak!

Son of a gun ---had big fun on the bayou

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/UTA-releases-crash-video/O_7sRvji_0GZHMrc81Jr8Q.cspx

This video has crossing gates failing. The railroad tells the no nothing reporter oh no the gates weren't coming down behind the the car but the car hit the gates knocking them up. Notice the video not on the front of the train. So where is the video from the other side of the train showing the gate on the other side of the street?

So where is the video off the PARKED train here since the colliding trains video would have been blocked? The gate recorder? The train event recorder off the moving train?

Well we're neighbors and I'm a neighborly type of guy. You spelt frikkin' rong. Speaking of one --two---three---This video shows green---yellow---and red lights. The railroads just red decades old electronics is illegal to use with traffic control standards just the red can't be obeyed when it comes on right in the drivers face. Why is that neighbor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tq61E3Ne4U
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/national/deathonthetracks_index.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/30/national/30rail.html
It was late afternoon on July 14, 2002, when Amtrak train No. 391 pulled out of Union Station in Chicago, bound for Southern Illinois. Several hours later, the train began to run a gantlet of hazardous highway crossings where gates and warning lights malfunctioned, endangering both passengers and motorists.

You're not my neighbor. You don't live here, just like you don't live in Trenton or Atlanta or any of the other Patches that you comment on. You don't listen to anyone else who disagrees with you.

Is it possible to hold a different opinion than you and not be a stooge for the railroad?

You're posting incoherent and pointless things that are completely unrelated to this unfortunate tragedy. Stop wasting our time and using this man's tragic, and unnecessary, death as a personal soapbox for your tin hat conspiracy theories.

Sure we are neighbors Buccephalus. Don't you live by the tracks. Come by sometime and I'll bake you a cake. This one it's obvious that the missing yellow before red on the junk signals caused the collision.
robert.portsche@dot.gov to btpino40@gmail.com,
Dear Mr. BP:Yes, I can imagine that this rear-end collision and subsequent
derailment and fire involving CSX in Porter County, Indiana, could have
been the reason for the accident reporting personnel being busy
yesterday afternoon. However after I left work on Friday evening,
January 9, I did receive a email from the CSX Manager responsible for
accident reporting.I was provided with the record keeping documents for the conductor and the engineer that were involved in the October 5, 2011 highway-rail
grade crossing accident in Bradner (Wood County), Ohio.

This documentation reflects that both the engineer and conductor initially
complained of some pain immediately after the impact. The engineer
complained of pain in the right side of his back, and the conductor
complained of pain in his hand and back. However after both employees
were examined by EMS personnel at the scene of the accident, the EMS
personnel released the employees without need for medical treatment. Therefore based on this documentation, neither of the train crew
members involved in this accident sustained injuries that would have
required CSX to file a Form FRA F 6180.55a under our accident reporting
regulations at 49 CFR Part 225. In this accident, I see that the railroad crossing over U.S. Highway No. 6 is equipped with gates and flashers, that were operating
properly. The truck driver apparently observed the flashers begin to
activate and when attempted to stop, his motor stalled while his
truck-trailer was foul of the crossing, causing the accident. I also
checked the grade crossing accident history for DOT ID No 228816S, and
find that it is recorded among the other grade crossing accidents that
have occurred at this crossing since 1975.

Bob Portsche
Federal Railroad Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Mail Stop 25 - Room W35-117

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20120108/WRT0101/120108019/Pickup-train-crash-kills-Adams-County-man?odyssey=mod%7Cdefcon%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
Pickup-train crash kills Adams County man

So the railroad KNEW the crossing was bad and didn't have stop and flag orders?

http://ocr.wi.gov/9040up%20brief%201235.pdf

...that the 20th Avenue crossing could not be adequately guarded by flashing lights and gates, and had to be closed to protect the public safety.”...
“The Commissioner relies heavily upon the testimony and on Jeff McClinchy, the locomotive operator who testified at the hearing. McClinchy testified that he operates trains over the crossing as part of his job duties for the UP. He testified he frequently observes fog at the crossing. McClinchy also testified that 20th Avenue is a ‘bad crossing’ and that he has had ‘close calls’ when a train/vehicle crash was narrowly avoided.” (See, page 7 of Respondent Brief)

I think I figured it out. It sounds like you were a railroad employee at some point, and was fired and lost your pension in a loosing union arbitration. I see NO other reason to HATE the railroad industry to such an extent. As I sugested before, find a nice hobby and relax. Now, let this thing rest. Will Ya?

That would be Bill Purdy ex BNSF/Amtrak not me Jim Sawyer. The FEDs gagged him. I've never been on a train except at the St. Louis zoo. That train flipped and killed the driver shortly after.

My main hobbies are big game hunting and witch hunts.

You know anything about trains?

Because
http://www.theeagle.com/local/Inquest-ordered-in-train-death--6852287
I'm confused ---Why wouldn't the train have a fuel gauge?
http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/photos/galleries/index.html?story=9872091
I'm confused ---Why is the track light green?