4 Veterans killed in Odessa

[PandaBear]

http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=39026

34-year-old Army Sgt. Joshua Michael shoved his wife, Daylyn, off the float moments before the train killed him and three other veterans.

Daylyn is said to be the only confirmed person on the float which escaped without any injuries.

Sgt. Michael leaves behind his wife, a 14-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter.

http://www.sgtjoshuamichael.com/

[GrayStangGT]

[ceyko]

They were saying on the news that vehicles sometimes get high centered on the tracks because the tracks are up on a "hill".

Yeah, all those tracks out there seem to be way up high. If this is the crossing near the new prison out there - I do remember them malfunctioning quite a bit.

[dewayne6243]

Some class 1 locomotives have an automatic bell and horn when it comes within a certain distance from the crossing they automatically activate. Our Safety director the fucking safety director told us not to hit the brakes until you hear metal crunch. How fucked up is that?

Wow, so you think everytime we think we will hit something we should throw the train in emergency and chance derailing the train? Really?

[ram57ta]

Wow, so you think everytime we think we will hit something we should throw the train in emergency and chance derailing the train? Really?

Working for a Light Rail system I had never really thought about that given how much better they brake than a loaded Class 1 until I worked for a Class 1 and got into a discussion with several engineers. Some people...hell actually MOST people don't fully understand just how BAD a train derailment can be. Sometimes hitting and killing an impatient dumbass in a car is FAR less dangerous to the public than piling up 50 tankers carrying hazardous or explosive chemicals.