LRT hits a car

[LRT]

Train hits a car at belvadere station

[Ode of Bund]

[LRT]

They say, that the train was going Northbound, but it looks like it's on the southbound track

[M. Parsons]

They say, that the train was going Northbound, but it looks like it's on the southbound track

Single tracking due to track work just south of Belvedere Stn on the northbound track.

See Edmonton Spottings for pics for 2010 out.

[MCW Metrobus]

I myself saw 2010 working in that very area the week I was there, I have photos of it as well.

Here is a CBC news article on the incident:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/20...cident-lrt.html

[kevlo86]

Full text of article below

Car crushed by rapid-transit train in Edmonton

Last Updated: Monday, September 25, 2006 | 8:09 AM MT

CBC News

Edmonton officials are investigating reports that a traffic-control gate was not working when a rapid-transit train crushed a car crossing the tracks.

The collision happened at Fort Road and 129 Avenue on Sunday afternoon.

The car's driver, a man in his 50s, was not seriously hurt. He is recovering in hospital.

No one on the train was injured.

Witnesses said the warning lights came on as the train neared the crossing, but the traffic barricade gates did not come down to stop vehicles from heading over the tracks.

Transit officials are trying to determine whether the gates were functioning properly.

________________________________________________________________________________________

See that is why there are corssing gates, flashing red lights and a bell. In case one fails you still have the other two. So IF the flashing red lights were working then the driver of the car would still be responsible, since he was not paying attention or did not know what to do. However that doesn't excuse the fact that the gates weren't working as suggested in the CBC news report.

[captaintrolley]

Also, there are TRACKS. Anytime you come near tracks you should stop, look, listen. Anytime is train time. Or at the very least, slow down (be prepared to stop), look, listen.

[A. Wong]

From the Edmonton Journal...

Driver dodges death in collision with LRT

Witnesses say safety gates didn't descend

Elise Stolte

The Edmonton Journal

Monday, September 25, 2006

CREDIT: Rick MacWilliam, the Journal

Transit official investigate a crash at the Belvedere transit station between a northbound LRT and a car heading west on 129th Ave., on Sunday afternoon.

EDMONTON - Witnesses say a car and an LRT train collided Sunday because the traffic gates didn't properly close across the road.

At about 2:30 p.m., a northbound LRT train struck a car heading west on 129th Ave. The train was about to enter the Belvedere station.

It hit the driver-side door, spinning the car around and slamming the rear end into a post.

The Toyota Tercel was crushed, but the driver, a man in his 50s, escaped with minor injuries. He was alone in the car.

"It was truly amazing to find him conscious and talking to us," Staff Sgt. Steve Crosby said.

No one on the train was hurt.

Several people saw the accident while they waited to cross the tracks and told police the warning lights came on but the safety gates didn't come down as the train approached, Crosby said.

Matthew Dube was on the train when it jerked to a stop. "The gates came down after we came to a full stop," he said.

Crosby said officers are trying to find videotape of the accident to confirm if the gates were functioning properly.

"It's under investigation at the moment," he said. "There's no allegation that this fellow was trying to race the train or anything."

LRT service was shut down for almost two hours after the accident.

Mike Derbyshire, director of safety and security for the Edmonton Transit, said the northbound tracks at Belvedere station were shut down for maintenance Sunday. The train, travelling on the southbound tracks, may have been going the opposite direction from what the driver of the car expected, he said.

"The driver might have been looking the other way and not seen anything, thought it was OK to go around the gates," he said.

Derbyshire said the maintenance would not have affected the operation of the gates.

Edmonton Transit is conducting its own investigation, said ETS communications officer Patricia Dickson.

estolte@thejournal.canwest.com

[Ode of Bund]

No wonder I didn't see any damage to the 1016 side, it was not this end that sustained the damage. But I am still shocked by the severity of the damaged inflicted on the Tercel, the train had just switched from northbound track to southbound track, and the speed limit for such track switching is only 30, looked like even at that speed, the momentum of a rolling LRT train is enormous.

4200 showed up as ａｎ　ＬＲＴ　contingent ｂｕｓ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｃｒｕｓｈｉｎｇ　ｌｏａｄ．　Ｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌｌｙ　Ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｉｎ　ａｎ　ｅｖｅｎｔ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｔｈｉｓ，　ａｒｔｉｃｓ　ａｒｅ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｔｈａｎ　ａｄａｑｕａｔｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｓｕｃｈ　ａ　ｒｅｓｃｕｅ　ｍｉｓｓｉｏｎ，　ｔｈｉｓ　ａｌｓｏ　ｒａｉｓｅｄ　ｍｙ　ｎｅｘｔ　ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎ．　　Ｗｈｅｎ　ｓｕｃｈ　ａｎ　ｕｎｅｘｐｅｃｔｅｄ　ｉｎｃｉｄｅｎｔ　ｈａｐｐｅｎｅｄ，　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ｄｉｄ　ａｌｌ　ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｃｏｎｔｉｇｅｎｔ　ｂｕｓ　ｄｒｉｖｅｒｓ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｆｒｏｍ？

[A. Wong]

Either spareboard drivers waiting around at the garage, or buses Not In Service heading back to the garage.

There were only 3 buses doing the contingency service.

[James]

No wonder I didn't see any damage to the 1016 side, it was not this end that sustained the damage. But I am still shocked by the severity of the damaged inflicted on the Tercel, the train had just switched from northbound track to southbound track, and the speed limit for such track switching is only 30, looked like even at that speed, the momentum of a rolling LRT train is enormous.

4200 showed up as ａｎ　ＬＲＴ　contingent ｂｕｓ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｃｒｕｓｈｉｎｇ　ｌｏａｄ．　Ｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌｌｙ　Ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｉｎ　ａｎ　ｅｖｅｎｔ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｔｈｉｓ，　ａｒｔｉｃｓ　ａｒｅ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｔｈａｎ　ａｄａｑｕａｔｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｓｕｃｈ　ａ　ｒｅｓｃｕｅ　ｍｉｓｓｉｏｎ，　ｔｈｉｓ　ａｌｓｏ　ｒａｉｓｅｄ　ｍｙ　ｎｅｘｔ　ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎ．　　Ｗｈｅｎ　ｓｕｃｈ　ａｎ　ｕｎｅｘｐｅｃｔｅｄ　ｉｎｃｉｄｅｎｔ　ｈａｐｐｅｎｅｄ，　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ｄｉｄ　ａｌｌ　ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｃｏｎｔｉｇｅｎｔ　ｂｕｓ　ｄｒｉｖｅｒｓ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｆｒｏｍ？

They have a contingency plan in place with ETS. They first use some spares around, then they start cxling certian routes. There is an actual schedule for this so no 2 trips in a row are xcld and if the delay was multiple days, most xclations wouldnt happen 2 days in a row.

[M. Parsons]

Witnesses said the warning lights came on as the train neared the crossing, but the traffic barricade gates did not come down to stop vehicles from heading over the tracks.

Transit officials are trying to determine whether the gates were functioning properly.

________________________________________________________________________________________

See that is why there are corssing gates, flashing red lights and a bell. In case one fails you still have the other two. So IF the flashing red lights were working then the driver of the car would still be responsible, since he was not paying attention or did not know what to do. However that doesn't excuse the fact that the gates weren't working as suggested in the CBC news report.

Yes... a red light is a red light. If that red light is flashing, you still stop. Dumbass driver (it seems).

However, the motorman might well have been partially at fault.

Track work was happening in the area. Because of this all signals were being controlled manually by EPCOR crews at the Belvedere substation.

The train would not have been activating the gates automatically so it would be upto EPCOR to activate them.

If they activated them a little bit later than maybe they should of, but above all the driver wasn't paying attention, the train could have easily entered the crossing with the gates still up.

Signals and magnets prevent trains from reaching gates before they are fully in the down position, when everything is running in normal operation.

[James]

Yes... a red light is a red light. If that red light is flashing, you still stop. Dumbass driver (it seems).

However, the motorman might well have been partially at fault.

Track work was happening in the area. Because of this all signals were being controlled manually by EPCOR crews at the Belvedere substation.

The train would not have been activating the gates automatically so it would be upto EPCOR to activate them.

If they activated them a little bit later than maybe they should of, but above all the driver wasn't paying attention, the train could have easily entered the crossing with the gates still up.

Signals and magnets prevent trains from reaching gates before they are fully in the down position, when everything is running in normal operation.

they said on the news this morning that the crossing arms and lights were automatic and the spokesman for ETS said that even though they were doing track maintenance and single tracking, they were still automatically controlled. however i have seen many times where the crossing arms dont work right when single tracking there

[A. Wong]

It's interesting because the call for the gates and station announcement are pretty far away from the station.

The damn "Clareview" lights up at University Station a good 30+ seconds before the train pulls in.

[M. Parsons]

they said on the news this morning that the crossing arms and lights were automatic and the spokesman for ETS said that even though they were doing track maintenance and single tracking, they were still automatically controlled. however i have seen many times where the crossing arms dont work right when single tracking there

If the train was taking the switch south of Belvedere... northbound to southbound... It is probable that that section was still under automatic control. I believe right around Belvedere is where a section of bi-directional signalled track begins (all the way to Clareview).

It's interesting because the call for the gates and station announcement are pretty far away from the station.

I think that that allows people to run up the stairs, across the overpass, and down to the platform... buying a fare if needed :-P

[captaintrolley]

Either spareboard drivers waiting around at the garage, or buses Not In Service heading back to the garage.

There were only 3 buses doing the contingency service.

Spareboard or guys sitting around on open report. Even though, midday on a Sunday there are usually no runs going out and not a lot of runs 'Not In Service' heading back to the garage at that time either.

[Modulator]

It's interesting because the call for the gates and station announcement are pretty far away from the station.

The damn "Clareview" lights up at University Station a good 30+ seconds before the train pulls in.

I think it does that as soon as the train leaves Health Sciences. Since trains stop to wait for the crossing gates after they leave the station it seems to take forever for the train to actually show up at University.

Presumably, once Health Sciences is no longer a terminus station, the crossing gates will be set up somewhat differently.

[M. Parsons]

In the Sun today...

ETS is saying that the gates were being manually operated.

Yesterday, James said they said they were being operated automatically... hmm...

It would have actually been an EPCOR employee operating the gates, I believe... although the motorman should have made sure the gates were down.

While me and Ashton were out there he heard a train or two calling in for the gates at 66 St. and we watched one train that had to wait at 129th Ave for those gates to be activated.

"Edmonton Transit is investigating whether human error by an employee played a role in a collision between a car and a train Sunday afternoon at a northeast LRT crossing.

The lights and arms at the Belvedere station crossing were being operated manually at the time of the crash that sent one man to hospital, said Kelly Vail of the city transportation department.

The crossing had to be operated manually because a section of the northbound tracks was being repaired and all rail traffic was being diverted on the normally southbound tracks, Vail explained."

[James]

<H2 align=center>States in yesterdays journal that the gates would not have been affected by track maintenance. therefor they should have been automatically running</H2>

Driver dodges death in collision with LRT

Witnesses say safety gates didn't descend

Elise Stolte, The Edmonton Journal

Published: Monday, September 25, 2006 EDMONTON - Witnesses say a car and an LRT train collided Sunday because the traffic gates didn't properly close across the road.

At about 2:30 p.m., a northbound LRT train struck a car heading west on 129th Ave. The train was about to enter the Belvedere station.

It hit the driver-side door, spinning the car around and slamming the rear end into a post.

The Toyota Tercel was crushed, but the driver, a man in his 50s, escaped with minor injuries. He was alone in the car.

"It was truly amazing to find him conscious and talking to us," Staff Sgt. Steve Crosby said.

No one on the train was hurt.

Several people saw the accident while they waited to cross the tracks and told police the warning lights came on but the safety gates didn't come down as the train approached, Crosby said.

Matthew Dube was on the train when it jerked to a stop. "The gates came down after we came to a full stop," he said.

Crosby said officers are trying to find videotape of the accident to confirm if the gates were functioning properly.

"It's under investigation at the moment," he said. "There's no allegation that this fellow was trying to race the train or anything."

LRT service was shut down for almost two hours after the accident.

Mike Derbyshire, director of safety and security for the Edmonton Transit, said the northbound tracks at Belvedere station were shut down for maintenance Sunday. The train, travelling on the southbound tracks, may have been going the opposite direction from what the driver of the car expected, he said.

"The driver might have been looking the other way and not seen anything, thought it was OK to go around the gates," he said.

Derbyshire said the maintenance would not have affected the operation of the gates.

Edmonton Transit is conducting its own investigation, said ETS communications officer Patricia Dickson.

estolte@thejournal.canwest.com

[M. Parsons]

<H2 align=center>States in yesterdays journal that the gates would not have been affected by track maintenance. therefor they should have been automatically running</H2>

Exactly, and now ETS is saying the gates were being run manually...

I think it was just those who were in charge over the weekend didn't really know so they just said they were being run automatically and the maintainance probably did in fact play a small role in the accident.

[James]

Exactly, and now ETS is saying the gates were being run manually...

I think it was just those who were in charge over the weekend didn't really know so they just said they were being run automatically and the maintainance probably did in fact play a small role in the accident.

Yep. However... The crossing equipment is maintained and operated by CN and they did have an employee there as it says today, so then CN would be at fault.

However also as stated earlier here... The lights were flashing, therefore as a road vehicle, you must STOP and look. This person did not so as far as i am concerned, the driver is 100% at fault.

[M. Parsons]

Yep. However... The crossing equipment is maintained and operated by CN and they did have an employee there as it says today, so then CN would be at fault.

Do you think ETS has no control over the grade crossing equipment at 129 Ave?

Yes, a CN person was on site.

I don't know why, but I can only speculate that it was becuase, as you said, it was their equipment that didn't seem to work right.

While wandering around that area... I don't recall seeing him outside of his truck except for right when me and Ashton arrived... I'm sure his truck doesn't have equpiment inside of it for controlling crossing gates!

However, inside of each substation (at least on the surface line) I believe there is a train board in there that allows a person in there to control that section of the mainline.

This is why you will hear on the scanner such things as "Control to all train, signals has control of the board at Stadium". "Signals" means EPCOR, as they maintain the signal system. Once EPCOR has moved on... Contol will usually say something like "control has control of the board back at Stadium".

Now... Our journey from Coliseum... after resetting we proceeded at track speed northbound on the southbound track. This portion of the line is NOT set for bi-directional running. Hence, track circuits are not set up to activate grade crossing when running in the opposite direction (if I need to go into detail on track circuits, please let me know). Which means one of two things. You have someone manually control the gates, or else you creep into the end of the circuit (which is usually within a short distance of the crossing) and then wait for the gates to move the down position. I have observed this heading north out of Stadium on the southbound track.

So... anyways.. proceeding north... I took a look out the window and I could already see the gates were down... far before they normally are. But how? How did anyone know we were coming?

That's where the train board inside the substation comes into play. I've only heard about it, haven't seen it, but can only assume this is correct. The EPCOR employees can see the postion of the train on the train board, just as control can with their computers in the control centre... they see it is approaching their territory and then manually activate the crossing gates once the train reaches a predetermined location. This explains why the gates were down earlier than usual if the train was on the northbound track, that I observed.

For what it's worth... Me and Ashton actually observed an EPCOR crew change at the Belvedere sub.. Natually, it isn't normally staffed.

[A. Wong]

 

 

For what it's worth... Me and Ashton actually observed an EPCOR crew change at the Belvedere sub.. Natually, it isn't normally staffed.

There was also some guy in that shelter thing that looks like a metal outhouse, located just to the right of the southbound tracks after the building.

[M. Parsons]

I'm with James, RED means STOP, not proceed, and STOP does not give any leeway as to wrong/different track or the direction of rail equipment

Thus the car driver is to blame, hope he gets dinged with LRT repair costs and service interuption costs too!

Yes, that's what both me and Kevin have already said in an earlier posting.