Passenger Trains > Cyclists disregard grade crossing and ruin my video (SLC)

While engaging in my afternoon foamer activities I was trying to get a neat video of a Frontrunner between North Temple and Salt Lake Central Station. After the crossing had already activated two cyclists entered the crossing causing the train to engage the brakes and blow the horn. A friend of mine who operates Frontrunner trains tells me this is a daily occurance. This is why we need the Rio Grande Plan.

The second attempt was ruined by a cursing vagrant, the third time I got what I wanted. That video is attached as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/24 23:01 by Paniolo_man.

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From a guy who grew up in the 80s and watching all those Pulbic Service Comercials while watching cartoons, I stuck with what they said, it's sad these days most don't go by traffic laws, pisses me off and I still ride my bike and still abide by the traffic laws!

Doesn’t look ruined to me.

Posted from iPhone

If someone crossed the street that far in front of you while driving you
would not have given it a second thought.

The cursing vagrant video may have been more interesting

If it happens every day, why aren't the police, undercover if necessary, handing out citations for trespassing ? Repeat offenders get their bike confiscated. 

The cops DON"T CARE.  At East Troy, we have cars running the crossing every time we make a trip, in front of the police car and they do nothing.  I gave up counting the number of times I have almost been hit while flagging one of our crossings while the cop just sat there and watched.  He/she was probably too busy having coffee and donuts.

I thought the cyclists crossed between the train and the camera at first.

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

If you were photographing/focusing on the train you wouldn't have even seen the cyclists.

You chose to let the cyclists "ruin your video" by panning your camera towards them. If you had kept the camera on the train we never would've known they were there since they were gone by the time the train got close to the crossing.

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If someone crossed the street that far in front of
> you while driving you
> would not have given it a second thought.

But an auto is much easier to stop than a train had one fallen on the tracks while trying to cross in front of that train things would have been much different. In an auto one can steer arond the problem eaiser than a train can dont you think??????????

I'm seeing a lot of defense for the people disregarding the gates for a forum dedicated to trains. These two made it with room to spare, every year someone doesn't. It's not fair to the crews or the families of the deceased.

The operator bought these two more time, as the train passes me you can hear the brakes screeching. A heavy freight might not have had the ability to slow down.

Spoony81 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You chose to let the cyclists "ruin your video" by
> panning your camera towards them. If you had kept
> the camera on the train we never would've known
> they were there since they were gone by the time
> the train got close to the crossing.

Exactly

Posted from Android

Not even close.....

Posted from Android

Paniolo_man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm seeing a lot of defense for the people
> disregarding the gates for a forum dedicated to
> trains. These two made it with room to spare,
> every year someone doesn't. It's not fair to the
> crews or the families of the deceased.
>
> The operator bought these two more time, as the
> train passes me you can hear the brakes
> screeching. A heavy freight might not have had the
> ability to slow down.

If the squealing you heard was right after you panned, it was probably flange squealing in the curve

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

But that doesn't make for good drama.

ALCO630 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Paniolo_man Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm seeing a lot of defense for the people
> > disregarding the gates for a forum dedicated to
> > trains. These two made it with room to spare,
> > every year someone doesn't. It's not fair to
> the
> > crews or the families of the deceased.
> >
> > The operator bought these two more time, as the
> > train passes me you can hear the brakes
> > screeching. A heavy freight might not have had
> the
> > ability to slow down.
>
> If the squealing you heard was right after you
> panned, it was probably flange squealing in the
> curve
>
> Posted from iPhone

Why are the signals activated 42 seconds before the train gets to the crossing?

SP4360 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But that doesn't make for good drama.
>
> ALCO630 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Paniolo_man Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I'm seeing a lot of defense for the people
> > > disregarding the gates for a forum dedicated
> to
> > > trains. These two made it with room to spare,
> > > every year someone doesn't. It's not fair to
> > the
> > > crews or the families of the deceased.
> > >
> > > The operator bought these two more time, as
> the
> > > train passes me you can hear the brakes
> > > screeching. A heavy freight might not have
> had
> > the
> > > ability to slow down.
> >
> > If the squealing you heard was right after you
> > panned, it was probably flange squealing in the
> > curve
> >
> > Posted from iPhone


I thought it, but wasn’t going to say it.

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From a guy who grew up in the 80s and watching all
> those Pulbic Service Comercials while watching
> cartoons, I stuck with what they said, it's sad
> these days most don't go by traffic laws, pisses
> me off and I still ride my bike and still abide by
> the traffic laws!

As a guy who "grew up" in the 50s & 60s I still ride my bike and obey traffic laws.  But those laws are different for bicycles than they are for automobiles in many states including mine.  Look up the so-called Idaho stop law which is valid where I live and ride.  Also look up the law that says cyclists have the same rights to a lane/road as automobiles have.  Also the mandated minimum clearance while passing a bicycle, 3-4 ft in most states.

I pay a ton of attention to my own safety when riding my bicycle because many automobile drivers either don't know the laws or don't care.  Of course that is to be expected because those same drivers do not care about their fellow auto drivers either.  It is a me, me, me world currently.

You got that right.

wirelessenabled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ProAmtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > From a guy who grew up in the 80s and watching
> all
> > those Pulbic Service Comercials while watching
> > cartoons, I stuck with what they said, it's sad
> > these days most don't go by traffic laws,
> pisses
> > me off and I still ride my bike and still abide
> by
> > the traffic laws!
>
> As a guy who "grew up" in the 50s & 60s I still
> ride my bike and obey traffic laws.  But those
> laws are different for bicycles than they are for
> automobiles in many states including mine.  Look
> up the so-called Idaho stop law which is valid
> where I live and ride.  Also look up the law that
> says cyclists have the same rights to a lane/road
> as automobiles have.  Also the mandated minimum
> clearance while passing a bicycle, 3-4 ft in most
> states.
>
> I pay a ton of attention to my own safety when
> riding my bicycle because many automobile drivers
> either don't know the laws or don't care.  Of
> course that is to be expected because those same
> drivers do not care about their fellow auto
> drivers either.  It is a me, me, me world
> currently.