Got A New Scenario For The PROs Here. Playing Chicken With A Train!

Ok, last week I was in Erie PA on my way to a TA after unloading. The rout the GPS chose went through a section of the city with a great many train tracks, one set was not the standard 2 lanes but 4!. And that 4th one was the one that got me thinking. When do you try to beat a train? Clearly you dont. That’s a stupid question. So ill be more precise.

Scenario 1: you’re heavily loaded and just past the point of no return and those red lights with their falling arms start. Should you floor it or hope to god you find a way to stop? (So far I’ve only been to 1 place in the SW where I was going at a pace that would keep me from stopping. so beyond that spot; I think it would be best to do whatever I could to stop)

Scenario 2: you are actively on the tracks, thereare cars ahead that may not be going fast enough for you to floor it across without hitting them {very fast oncoming train and why are you following so close!}. What do you do? (I am thinking your options are to get out and let the train hit your rig, hope those cars speed up or aim for the ditch.)

When in doubt you look both ways before crossing any type of RR tracks. And that includes all 4 of them. In both those examples you gave you have to think about safety. Safest thing to do is wait for the intersection to be clear of cars before proceeding even if you have to hold up traffic to do it.

Scenario 1 you state your past the point of no return but then think you want to try to stop? Especially heavily loaded if you are really past the point of no return there is no stopping. Especially heavy because once you realize your not gonna stop you will not be able to quickly get back up to any speed.

+++++DISCLAIMER+++++

You may not want to listen to me, when I was 17 I was hit by a train while driving a VW Bug

Like guy said, treat it like an intersection. I do not go through an intersection unless I have enough room for the trailer to clear the intersection. That also holds true for tracks, make sure you have enough room to clear them on the other side.

See here is the thing about trains.....the accidents between them and a vehicle........not only do they always win but it's never their fault. They hit a vehicle it's was the vehicles fault 100% of the time.

Woody...you survived being hit by a train in VeeWee....and you now ride a Crotch Rocket ??? Dude, you ain't no cat...you don't have 9 lives. ..But I have to admit...I truly thought I was immortal 'til I was 40 !!

Well, this is from a rookie point of view fresh out of school....

I asked a similar question a bout a 4 track crossing we were going over. What if the lights start dinging and the arms start dropping but you are at the point if you stop, you are on the tracks. The instructor said, "Well, I guess the arm on the other side will be busted because you don't stop. Don't shift. Go as fast as you can to get off the track safely." As for the second scenario, we were taught as Guy said. Do not move onto the track until you know it is clear and you have enough room on the other side for your truck to fit. I was in a situation the other day when that happened. I was leaving a plant with a van trailer. I am a flatbed driver but they gave me that to get me home. It seemed so wrong to pull a sissy wagon. Anyway, my flatbed is 48 feet. The van was 53 feet. I am still new and learning the clearances and distances. I cam to a track just before a light. I did not think there was enough space on the other side of the track between the light and the track. I stopped before the track. The light cycled at the intersection but mine never went to green. Then it did it again. So, I decided that it would never change unless I triggered it so I proceeded across the track. There was only about 8 trucks lined up behind me now. To my surprise, there was plenty of room for me to get to the light and off the track. Better safe than sorry!

Woody...you survived being hit by a train in VeeWee....and you now ride a Crotch Rocket ??? Dude, you ain't no cat...you don't have 9 lives. ..But I have to admit...I truly thought I was immortal 'til I was 40 !!

Yup. Was actually pronounced dead on arrival, but somehow I pulled through. I have no lingering injuries from the wreck although my wife still claims I have brain damage

I use my motorcycle for therapy to keep me sane in an insane world lol. I passed 40 a few years ago so I know I'm not immortal and ride accordingly.

Woody

Woody, I'm selling my Harley, and building a trike. ..I suddenly realized that if ya don't watch it, ya get old.....