Four people are dead and 17 people have been transported to a hospital from the accident, according to a city spokesman.
http://news.msn.com/...rrying-veterans
Report: Train crashes into trailer carrying veterans
Started by
amtrakwolverine
, Nov 15 2012 07:59 PM
14 replies to this topic
#1
amtrakwolverine
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Posted 15 November 2012 - 07:59 PM
http://news.msn.com/...rrying-veterans
#2
KevinKorell
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Posted 15 November 2012 - 09:15 PM
CNN, 11/15/12:
More
4 killed after train hits truck during Texas parade saluting U.S. troops
A train rammed into a flatbed truck carrying participants in a West Texas parade saluting U.S. troops on Thursday, killing four people and leaving at least 17 hospitalized, a police spokesman said.
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Lakewood, NJ
#3
CNJRoss
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Posted 16 November 2012 - 05:56 PM
NTSB News Release:
NTSB LAUNCHES TEAM TO GRADE CROSSING ACCIDENT IN MIDLAND, TEXAS
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November 15, 2012
WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board is launching a go-team to an accident in Midland, Texas, in which a Union Pacific freight train struck a flatbed semi-trailer being used as a parade float at a grade crossing at about 4:40 pm today. Numerous fatalities and serious injuries have been reported.
Texas-based NTSB investigator Robert Accetta is leading the team as the Investigator-in-Charge. Two investigators are en route to the scene; the remainder of the team will travel to Texas tomorrow.
NTSB Board Member Mark Rosekind is accompanying the team and will serve as the principal spokesman during the on-scene phase of the investigation.
Public Affairs Officer Peter Knudson will also be in Texas to coordinate media related activities. He can be reached at (XXX) XXX-XXXX after arriving on scene tomorrow.
NTSB LAUNCHES TEAM TO GRADE CROSSING ACCIDENT IN MIDLAND, TEXAS
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November 15, 2012
WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board is launching a go-team to an accident in Midland, Texas, in which a Union Pacific freight train struck a flatbed semi-trailer being used as a parade float at a grade crossing at about 4:40 pm today. Numerous fatalities and serious injuries have been reported.
Texas-based NTSB investigator Robert Accetta is leading the team as the Investigator-in-Charge. Two investigators are en route to the scene; the remainder of the team will travel to Texas tomorrow.
NTSB Board Member Mark Rosekind is accompanying the team and will serve as the principal spokesman during the on-scene phase of the investigation.
Public Affairs Officer Peter Knudson will also be in Texas to coordinate media related activities. He can be reached at (XXX) XXX-XXXX after arriving on scene tomorrow.
#4
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Posted 18 November 2012 - 09:01 AM
AP, 11/18:
Complete article.Officials: Vets' float crossed track after signals
MIDLAND, Texas (AP) -- A parade float filled with wounded veterans that was struck by a freight train had crossed onto the railroad tracks after warning signals were going off, investigators said Saturday.
SNIP
. . . The second float didn't enter the tracks until several seconds after the warning system went off, the NTSB said. By that time, the guardrail was lowering.
SNIP
The timeline was pieced together by combining information from a video camera mounted on the front of the train, another one on a sheriff's car and a data recorder that acts like an airplane's black box, activating when the train blared the horn, NTSB member Mark Rosekind said.
#5
CNJRoss
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Posted 18 November 2012 - 08:58 PM
AP, 11/18:
Continue.Parade where vets killed used route for 3 years
MIDLAND, Texas (AP) -- Organizers of a parade in West Texas in which four U.S. military veterans were killed when a train plowed into a truck had been using the same route for three years, investigators said Sunday.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Mark Rosekind also announced that oilfield services company Smith Industries was the owner of the truck that served as the float the veterans were on during Thursday's parade in Midland.
Rosekind said the company was cooperating with investigators, who expect to interview the driver on Monday. The NTSB declined to release the driver's name, and Rosekind said investigators don't know if the driver worked for Smith Industries.
#6
KevinKorell
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Posted 03 January 2013 - 12:38 PM
USA Today, 1/3/13:
This story
Fatal veteran train crash to go to Texas grand jury
A Texas prosecutor says a grand jury will consider the case involving a train collision that killed four veterans who were riding on a parade float.
Kevin Korell
OTOL Board Leader
Lakewood, NJ
#7
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Posted 31 October 2013 - 05:25 PM
NTSB TO MEET ON FATAL PARADE FLOAT GRADE-CROSSING ACCIDENT
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October 31, 2013
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board will meet to determine the probable cause of the November 2012 fatal grade-crossing accident involving a parade float in Texas.
At about 4:35 p.m. CT, on November 15, 2012, a truck-tractor combination unit being used as a “Hunt for Heroes” parade float was struck by a Union Pacific freight at a grade crossing in Midland, Texas. As a result of the accident, four parade float passengers were killed, and five float passengers were seriously injured. Additionally, eight float passengers and a deputy sheriff received minor injuries. The two train crewmembers, the combination unit driver, and seven other float passengers were not injured.
Event: Board Meeting
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 5 at 9:30 a.m. (ET)
Location: NTSB Board Room and Conference Center
Address: 429 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
City/State: Washington, DC 20594
Participants: NTSB Board Members
Live Webcast: A link to the webcast will be available on the following page shortly before the start of the meeting: http://www.capitolco...n/ntsb/ntsb.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 31, 2013
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board will meet to determine the probable cause of the November 2012 fatal grade-crossing accident involving a parade float in Texas.
At about 4:35 p.m. CT, on November 15, 2012, a truck-tractor combination unit being used as a “Hunt for Heroes” parade float was struck by a Union Pacific freight at a grade crossing in Midland, Texas. As a result of the accident, four parade float passengers were killed, and five float passengers were seriously injured. Additionally, eight float passengers and a deputy sheriff received minor injuries. The two train crewmembers, the combination unit driver, and seven other float passengers were not injured.
Event: Board Meeting
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 5 at 9:30 a.m. (ET)
Location: NTSB Board Room and Conference Center
Address: 429 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
City/State: Washington, DC 20594
Participants: NTSB Board Members
Live Webcast: A link to the webcast will be available on the following page shortly before the start of the meeting: http://www.capitolco...n/ntsb/ntsb.htm
#8
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Posted 05 November 2013 - 10:50 PM
NTSB news release:
NTSB FINDS PARADE FLOAT ACCIDENT THAT KILLED FOUR VETERANS CAUSED BY LACK OF ADVANCE SAFETY PLANNING
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November 5, 2013
WASHINGTON – A fatal accident in which a freight train struck a parade float in Texas last November was caused by the failure of both the city and the parade organizer to address the risks associated with routing a parade through an active grade crossing, the National Transportation Safety Board said today.
“This terrible collision between a fast-moving freight train and a slow-rolling parade float of veterans and their loved ones should never have occurred,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman at a Board meeting today. “Parade and event organizers must identify and manage hazards in advance to ensure a safe outcome for participants and spectators.”
At about 4:35 p.m. CT on November 15, 2012, a truck-tractor flatbed trailer combination unit being used as a parade float as part of a procession honoring wounded veterans approached a section of the parade route that traversed an active highway-railroad grade crossing in Midland, Texas. The float, which carried 12 veterans and their spouses and was escorted by two law enforcement vehicles, entered the grade crossing after the grade-crossing warning system had activated. The float continued across the railroad tracks at an estimated speed of 5 mph.
At about the same time, an 84-car Union Pacific freight train approached the crossing from the west at a speed of 62 mph. As the front of the float crossed the tracks, the train engineer sounded the horn and placed the train into emergency braking. Seconds later, the train reached the crossing and struck the right rear section of the float.
As a result of the collision, four float passengers were killed and 11 passengers and a sheriff’s deputy were injured. The two train crewmembers, the float driver, and nine other passengers were uninjured.
For 34 minutes prior to the accident, the float had traveled along the parade route with a continuous police escort, which allowed the float to proceed through red traffic signal lights at four intersections without stopping. This created what investigators called an “expectancy of safety and right of way,” which the NTSB said contributed to the cause of the accident, because it led the driver to conclude that police were controlling all intersections and associated traffic hazards.
The float driver told investigators that he did not see the flashing lights of the grade-crossing warning system or detect the presence of the train until the float was on the tracks because he was looking at his side-view mirror to monitor the well-being of his float passengers as he negotiated a dip in the roadway on approach to the grade crossing.
The NTSB concluded that the noise generated by the parade, combined with the float driver’s expectation of safety, likely reduced his ability to hear or properly interpret the grade crossing system warning bells and lights, as well as the train horn.
The NTSB determined that the grade crossing system provided the required 20 seconds of advance warning through warning bells, lights and gates. However, the NTSB cited as another contributing factor to the collision, the lack of visual traffic signal cues to indicate to the police officers escorting the float that an approaching train had preempted the normal highway traffic signal sequence at the intersection adjacent to the grade crossing, which would have provided as much as 10 additional seconds to warn law enforcement officers and the float driver of the approaching train.
The investigation revealed that the parade organizer, Show of Support, failed to obtain a parade permit and the city of Midland failed to enforce its ordinance by allowing the parade to take place anyway, which investigators characterized as indicative of the “lax and informal manner” by which the parade was organized, approved and executed.
Had the parade organizer and the city of Midland created and followed a safety plan that included a requirement that railroads be notified of any parade route that crossed the tracks, the railroad may have arranged to halt train traffic, restrict train speeds, or provide a flagman, any one of which would likely have prevented the accident.
As part of the investigation, the NTSB also looked at three other parade accidents occurring this year in Bangor, Maine; Edmond, Okla.; and Damascus, Va.; and determined that many communities and organizations across the U.S. don’t conduct risk assessments and implement safety plans. The NTSB is calling for the development of guidelines that state and local officials can use as a resource for the safe planning and operation of parades and other special events. The NTSB is also encouraging jurisdictions across the U.S. to require written safety plans as part of the approval process for a parade or special event,.
As a result of the investigation, the NTSB made a total of six recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the city of Midland, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the National Association of Towns and Townships, the United States Conference of Mayors, the International City/County Management Association, the International City/County Management Association, the International Festivals and Events Association, the National League of Cities, and the National Association of Counties.
A synopsis of the NTSB report, including the probable cause, findings, and a complete list of the safety recommendations, is available at http://go.usa.gov/WBTR. The full report will be available on the website in several weeks.
NTSB FINDS PARADE FLOAT ACCIDENT THAT KILLED FOUR VETERANS CAUSED BY LACK OF ADVANCE SAFETY PLANNING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 5, 2013
WASHINGTON – A fatal accident in which a freight train struck a parade float in Texas last November was caused by the failure of both the city and the parade organizer to address the risks associated with routing a parade through an active grade crossing, the National Transportation Safety Board said today.
“This terrible collision between a fast-moving freight train and a slow-rolling parade float of veterans and their loved ones should never have occurred,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman at a Board meeting today. “Parade and event organizers must identify and manage hazards in advance to ensure a safe outcome for participants and spectators.”
At about 4:35 p.m. CT on November 15, 2012, a truck-tractor flatbed trailer combination unit being used as a parade float as part of a procession honoring wounded veterans approached a section of the parade route that traversed an active highway-railroad grade crossing in Midland, Texas. The float, which carried 12 veterans and their spouses and was escorted by two law enforcement vehicles, entered the grade crossing after the grade-crossing warning system had activated. The float continued across the railroad tracks at an estimated speed of 5 mph.
At about the same time, an 84-car Union Pacific freight train approached the crossing from the west at a speed of 62 mph. As the front of the float crossed the tracks, the train engineer sounded the horn and placed the train into emergency braking. Seconds later, the train reached the crossing and struck the right rear section of the float.
As a result of the collision, four float passengers were killed and 11 passengers and a sheriff’s deputy were injured. The two train crewmembers, the float driver, and nine other passengers were uninjured.
For 34 minutes prior to the accident, the float had traveled along the parade route with a continuous police escort, which allowed the float to proceed through red traffic signal lights at four intersections without stopping. This created what investigators called an “expectancy of safety and right of way,” which the NTSB said contributed to the cause of the accident, because it led the driver to conclude that police were controlling all intersections and associated traffic hazards.
The float driver told investigators that he did not see the flashing lights of the grade-crossing warning system or detect the presence of the train until the float was on the tracks because he was looking at his side-view mirror to monitor the well-being of his float passengers as he negotiated a dip in the roadway on approach to the grade crossing.
The NTSB concluded that the noise generated by the parade, combined with the float driver’s expectation of safety, likely reduced his ability to hear or properly interpret the grade crossing system warning bells and lights, as well as the train horn.
The NTSB determined that the grade crossing system provided the required 20 seconds of advance warning through warning bells, lights and gates. However, the NTSB cited as another contributing factor to the collision, the lack of visual traffic signal cues to indicate to the police officers escorting the float that an approaching train had preempted the normal highway traffic signal sequence at the intersection adjacent to the grade crossing, which would have provided as much as 10 additional seconds to warn law enforcement officers and the float driver of the approaching train.
The investigation revealed that the parade organizer, Show of Support, failed to obtain a parade permit and the city of Midland failed to enforce its ordinance by allowing the parade to take place anyway, which investigators characterized as indicative of the “lax and informal manner” by which the parade was organized, approved and executed.
Had the parade organizer and the city of Midland created and followed a safety plan that included a requirement that railroads be notified of any parade route that crossed the tracks, the railroad may have arranged to halt train traffic, restrict train speeds, or provide a flagman, any one of which would likely have prevented the accident.
As part of the investigation, the NTSB also looked at three other parade accidents occurring this year in Bangor, Maine; Edmond, Okla.; and Damascus, Va.; and determined that many communities and organizations across the U.S. don’t conduct risk assessments and implement safety plans. The NTSB is calling for the development of guidelines that state and local officials can use as a resource for the safe planning and operation of parades and other special events. The NTSB is also encouraging jurisdictions across the U.S. to require written safety plans as part of the approval process for a parade or special event,.
As a result of the investigation, the NTSB made a total of six recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the city of Midland, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the National Association of Towns and Townships, the United States Conference of Mayors, the International City/County Management Association, the International City/County Management Association, the International Festivals and Events Association, the National League of Cities, and the National Association of Counties.
A synopsis of the NTSB report, including the probable cause, findings, and a complete list of the safety recommendations, is available at http://go.usa.gov/WBTR. The full report will be available on the website in several weeks.
###
#9
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Posted 05 November 2013 - 10:54 PM
AP via WTOP radio, 11/5:
Complete article.NTSB faults parade plans in fatal train collision
WASHINGTON (AP) -- An oncoming freight train sounded its warning, and track guard gates started to descend. But the crowd was cheering, a marching band was playing, the lights of a police escort were flashing and a truck driver towing a parade float of wounded veterans and their wives in Midland, Texas, advanced heedlessly into the crossing.
The train rammed the float at 62 mph, killing four veterans and injuring 11 other veterans and their wives.
The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday faulted parade organizers and city officials for their lack of safety planning, not the truck driver towing the float.
SNIP
The train's engineer sounded the locomotive's horn and pulled the emergency brake seconds before the collision, but was unable to stop in time. The first truck towing a float, which was in front of the truck that was struck, was fitted with a train horn that had been sounding throughout the parade, yet another reason why the driver of the truck that was struck didn't register the danger until it was too late, investigators said.
#10
KevinKorell
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Posted 15 November 2013 - 08:50 PM
CBS DFW, 11/15/13:
Article continues here.
Train Warnings Fall Short Of State Standards, Widow: “This Is A Definite Wrong”
“I thought it was coming slow and he pushed me and said, ‘Jump, Angie! Jump,’ and that’s the last thing he said to me…”
Angie Boivin cried as she recalled, in an exclusive interview with CBS 11’s I-Team, the train accident a year ago in Midland that killed her husband, Larry Boivin, and three other veterans.
Article continues here.
Kevin Korell
OTOL Board Leader
Lakewood, NJ
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