Train officials killed at railway crossing during passenger train collision with trailer truck in Udon Thani

[webfact]

 

By Nop Meechukhun

 

Udon Thani – Two train officers were killed and many were injured after a railway locomotive crashed into a semi-trailer truck at a railroad crossing in the Mueang District of Udon Thani yesterday evening, January 31st.

 

Mueang Udon Thani police officers arrived at the scene around 7:30 PM. after being notified of the train and the 18-wheel trailer fatal accident near the Ban Chan intersection. Upon arrival, a diesel locomotive of the Nong Khai – Bangkok route was found having crashed into a white 18-wheel trailer truck. The trailer was directly crushed and towed for more than 300 meters by the train.

 

A train driver and a mechanic reportedly fell off the head of the train and were found dead in a canal nearby. More than 100 passengers in nine bogies were in shock, some with minor bumps and bruises.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/02/01/train-officials-killed-at-railway-crossing-during-passenger-train-collision-with-trailer-truck-in-udon-thani/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-02-01

 

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[RJRS1301]

Another railway crossing fatality. How many more before barriers and flashing lights installed, where it is not possible to elevate the road, or some other safety practice ?

Education campaign for drivers would also assist.

I see cars and truck always attempting run the barriers and lights near where I reside, many near misses.

The trauma caused for the train crew is ongoing.

 

 

[NanLaew]

19 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Another railway crossing fatality. How many more before barriers and flashing lights installed, where it is not possible to elevate the road, some other safety practice ?

 

This is a major, manned railroad crossing on the Udon Thani ring road with lights and double barriers.

 

 

The driver claims the barriers were raised and there were no signals. Are these triggered automatically by an approaching train or does the crossing guard in the control box need to be involved? The line crosses the ring-road at two locations either side of town as well as a crossing the main road near the railway station in the city. It also crosses Highway 2 north of the city. Each time I have had to stop for a train, when the barriers are down and the lights and gongs are going off, the crossing guard is already standing outside his box and watching the train pass through.

[RJRS1301]

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

This is a major, manned railroad crossing on the Udon Thani ring road with lights and double barriers. The driver claims the barriers were raised and there were no signals. Are these triggered automatically by an approaching train or does the crossing guard in the control box need to be involved? The line crosses the ring-road at two locations either side of town as well as a crossing the main road near the railway station in the city. It also crosses Highway 2 north of the city. Each time I have had to stop for a train, when the barriers are down and the lights and gongs are going off, the crossing guard is already standing outside his box and watching the train pass through.

Thank you for the added info.

 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Udon Thani – Two train officers were killed and many were injured after a railway locomotive crashed into a semi-trailer truck at a railroad crossing in the Mueang District of Udon Thani yesterday evening, January 31st.

Unbelievable that these accidents can happen at manned, gated crossings?

[thailand49]

Part of the system untrained commercial drivers that go from their motorbikes to cars and commercial vehicles.

 

In the photo see the red stop sign? majority don't have a clue what it is all drivers including commercials. In the West on the road test we take the commercial driver ALWAYS to a railroad crossing majority of the self train ones if they are lucky to get as far as a road test general fail at the crossing. Passing is simple always stop no matter what look left and right and proceed with caution make sure in front of you the path is clear so your vehicle don't get stuck on the middle of the tracks if any part hangs on the track it is a auto failure.

 

Another testing requirement, crossing tracks are usually a bit raised, the instructor would have you stop just before crossing. When he instructs you to proceed it the vehicle rolls back slightly it is an auto failure. 

 

It is all about education and training which doesn't exist here, a few years back in Pattaya, traffic heavy a official ask me to pull up right on top of the tracks I just ignored he insisted I ignored he finally asked me to pull over I gladly did and when he requested my license then I still was using International permit also carried my license back home. After looking at the book he responded I never saw so many stamps qualification he joke you have a license to fly a plane I pull it out and show it to him. After I told him politely and respectfully at my age wisely too what I use to do for a living and explain to him exactly why I refuse him request.

 

For a trucker or anyone when in doubt stop and proceed with caution this guy excuse comes from just not understanding the concept?

[RichardColeman]

Another example of why Thailand should not have high speed trains for at least another century ! High speed trains being introduced into Thailand is an accident just waiting to happen

 

[RocketDog]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Another example of why Thailand should not have high speed trains for at least another century ! High speed trains being introduced into Thailand is an accident just waiting to happen

 

You are seriously correct.

 

Kinetic energy is proportional to vehicle mass multiplied by the square of velocity.

 

A train moving 10kph has 100 times more kinetic energy than the same train moving at 1kph.

 

The potential for catastrophe is monumental. There is no reason to believe that trains would suffer fewer 'brake failures' here than all the other vehicle types regularly do.

 

[Moonlover]

8 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

How many more before barriers and flashing lights installed,

This is not one those country crossings where you 'stop, look and listen'. It's a manned crossing on a busy bypass with lots of traffic and when a train is due there is a long clamour of bells and flashing red lights and the barriers fall well before the train is due.

 

Right at the end of the full report there's a mention of a 'broken barrier'. It's look like the truck ran through it.

 

'Meanwhile, the police and investigators were in the process of investigation as well as examining the barrier that was reportedly broken'.

 

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, thailand49 said:

In the photo see the red stop sign?

Yes but the STOP sign works in conjunction with the 'automatic' barriers. When they are up, the lights and strobes aren't flashing and the bell's not ringing, you do NOT stop. This accident site on the Udon ring-road is actually the Mitrapharp state Highway 2 bypass and very, very busy. You only stop at these stop signs when the barriers are down.

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Another example of why Thailand should not have high speed trains for at least another century ! High speed trains being introduced into Thailand is an accident just waiting to happen

 

The high speed train route will use overpasses, bridges and tunnels.

 

Next?

[it is what it is]

6 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Another example of why Thailand should not have high speed trains for at least another century ! High speed trains being introduced into Thailand is an accident just waiting to happen

 

i very much doubt a high speed railway line will cross expressways and roads as the current low speed railway line does. it will go over or under.

[thailand49]

10 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Yes but the STOP sign works in conjunction with the 'automatic' barriers. When they are up, the lights and strobes aren't flashing and the bell's not ringing, you do NOT stop. This accident site on the Udon ring-road is actually the Mitrapharp state Highway 2 bypass and very, very busy. You only stop at these stop signs when the barriers are down.

In commercial driving in the West you don't depend on anyone but yourself never assume that is how I have survived driving all over Thailand roads for 20 year I apply everything I have ever learned in commercial driving there is no such thing as " this is Thailand " opinion if this driver had simply stopped regardless of what anyone expects of him to do we might not been exchanging comment,  if one has ever driven a tracker traitor it would be clear?

 

The stop sign on the wooden post left isn't attached it is separate. As the driver said he based crossing solely on the light and barrier warning from the accident he will never do that again! 

You approach stop proceed when you know your entire tracker clears the tracks.

[thailand49]

12 hours ago, NanLaew said:

The high speed train route will use overpasses, bridges and tunnels.

 

Next?

Not so always here in Pattaya they have laid gravel right along the current train track which runs through above ground it will be very interesting. 

[RJRS1301]

15 hours ago, Moonlover said:

This is not one those country crossings where you 'stop, look and listen'. It's a manned crossing on a busy bypass with lots of traffic and when a train is due there is a long clamour of bells and flashing red lights and the barriers fall well before the train is due.

 

Right at the end of the full report there's a mention of a 'broken barrier'. It's look like the truck ran through it.

 

'Meanwhile, the police and investigators were in the process of investigation as well as examining the barrier that was reportedly broken'.

 

????

[Moonlover]

14 hours ago, NanLaew said:

20 hours ago, thailand49 said:

In the photo see the red stop sign?

 

14 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Yes but the STOP sign works in conjunction with the 'automatic' barriers. When they are up, the lights and strobes aren't flashing and the bell's not ringing, you do NOT stop. This accident site on the Udon ring-road is actually the Mitrapharp state Highway 2 bypass and very, very busy. You only stop at these stop signs when the barriers are down.

You're quite correct @NanLaew I've been through that same crossing many, many times.

[mackayae]

You do not stop at that crossing. You only stop when the lights are flashing and the barriers are down. The speed limit is 30 kph at the crossing. The speed limit is 45 and 60 kph on other sections of the ring road.

[NanLaew]

6 hours ago, thailand49 said:

In commercial driving in the West you don't depend on anyone but yourself never assume that is how I have survived driving all over Thailand roads for 20 year I apply everything I have ever learned in commercial driving there is no such thing as " this is Thailand " opinion if this driver had simply stopped regardless of what anyone expects of him to do we might not been exchanging comment,  if one has ever driven a tracker traitor it would be clear?

 

The stop sign on the wooden post left isn't attached it is separate. As the driver said he based crossing solely on the light and barrier warning from the accident he will never do that again! 

You approach stop proceed when you know your entire tracker clears the tracks.

The stop sign in question is to show drivers where to stop when the barriers are down. The stop sign in question is not an instruction to stop and look when the barriers are up and the warning signals are off. That's the way this style of level crossing works in this country.

 

You are suggesting that this Thai truck driver will now have the same nous as a professional American commercial truck driver. Seriously? You haven't observed too much much while "driving all over Thailand roads for 20 year" using your superior western learning. The only thing this driver will take from his experience are the numbers from the registration plates for his lottery tickets.

[connda]

Very sad.  RIP.  The family of rail workers get pretty good compensation packages. 

[connda]

7 hours ago, thailand49 said:

In commercial driving in the West you don't depend on anyone but yourself never assume that is how I have survived driving all over Thailand roads for 20 year I apply everything I have ever learned in commercial driving there is no such thing as " this is Thailand " opinion if this driver had simply stopped regardless of what anyone expects of him to do we might not been exchanging comment,  if one has ever driven a tracker traitor it would be clear?

 

The stop sign on the wooden post left isn't attached it is separate. As the driver said he based crossing solely on the light and barrier warning from the accident he will never do that again! 

You approach stop proceed when you know your entire tracker clears the tracks.

Heck, when I approach a rail-road crossing with the barrier up and the lights dark, I still stop and look both directions before stopping.  It drives my 'back-seat-driving' wife crazy but I've seen instance where warning lights and barriers have been non-operational as the train comes plowing through!
As a driver you are the captain of your own ship. Driving defensively keep you breathing.

[connda]

21 hours ago, RocketDog said:

You are seriously correct.

 

Kinetic energy is proportional to vehicle mass multiplied by the square of velocity.

 

A train moving 10kph has 100 times more kinetic energy than the same train moving at 1kph.

 

The potential for catastrophe is monumental. There is no reason to believe that trains would suffer fewer 'brake failures' here than all the other vehicle types regularly do.

 

Imagine a train doing 200 mph?  Ouch!

[thailand49]

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

The stop sign in question is to show drivers where to stop when the barriers are down. The stop sign in question is not an instruction to stop and look when the barriers are up and the warning signals are off. That's the way this style of level crossing works in this country.

 

You are suggesting that this Thai truck driver will now have the same nous as a professional American commercial truck driver. Seriously? You haven't observed too much much while "driving all over Thailand roads for 20 year" using your superior western learning. The only thing this driver will take from his experience are the numbers from the registration plates for his lottery tickets.

 What I say to Thai who feel the way you feel this "this is Thailand " your reasoning is the same as many Thai thinks reason of the high numbers of accidents majority are self inflicted. I lecture them politely that the vehicle was invented in the West the rules of driving was also taken from the West problem maybe they did maybe not but somehow many of the rules due to lack of enforcement are not executed properly which is the problem. Majority arent train in using their mirrors they can't even make a proper left or right turn, merging they don't have a clue reason when you need to make a right you can wait until morning, what is a solid white,  yellow, double, today there are Horizontal lines at many intersections same as a stop sign.  I have a million on my list simple stuff we take for granted but makes a huge difference to start to fix what is wrong here Thailand or no Thailand they need to learn the proper execution as it was intended. I've worked in the transportation industry for 40 plus years worked along with the transportation Department the CHP seen the surveys, data,  you say this is Thailand if this driver was taught the rule where it originate for a trucker a stop sign means Stop look it is clear and proceed with caution this is done every day even in Thailand. When you drive a vehicle of size,  carry people, Haz-mat responsible for lives the last thing you assume as long as they barrier is up no lights no bell you certain Don't just drive through until it is clear and make sure your tracker never sit idle on the tracks. 

You feel the way you do we part ways to agree to disagree next time when the light turns green just go through as you noted and assume? Good luck. 

[thailand49]

3 hours ago, connda said:

Heck, when I approach a rail-road crossing with the barrier up and the lights dark, I still stop and look both directions before stopping.  It drives my 'back-seat-driving' wife crazy but I've seen instance where warning lights and barriers have been non-operational as the train comes plowing through!
As a driver you are the captain of your own ship. Driving defensively keep you breathing.

Bravo and that is what driving  a tracker is all about defensive and I apply majority of the defensive items I learn living here driving my bike and cars,  Bravo don't leave it to someone else! It cost nothing to take a second to stop and take a look!  Bravo stay safe! 

[richard_smith237]

On 2/1/2022 at 12:49 PM, NanLaew said:

This is a major, manned railroad crossing on the Udon Thani ring road with lights and double barriers.

 

Quote

Meanwhile, the police and investigators were in the process of investigation as well as examining the barrier that was reportedly broken.

 

And here we have it folk....   the ‘railway crossing equivalent of brake-failure’ !!... 

[robblok]

18 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

And here we have it folk....   the ‘railway crossing equivalent of brake-failure’ !!... 

Do they mean the barrier was broken as a truck crashed through it or do they mean broken as in not functioning? If the first it can indiate an idiot truck driver. if the second then who can blame the truck driver.

[big dendrobenaes]

so are the police going to move the crossing .....like in the zrbra crossing fiaso ????

[NanLaew]

On 2/2/2022 at 7:22 PM, robblok said:

Do they mean the barrier was broken as a truck crashed through it or do they mean broken as in not functioning? If the first it can indiate an idiot truck driver. if the second then who can blame the truck driver.

The driver claims the barriers were up.

 

A picture after the accident in a linked article shows the barriers raised but the lights on the barrier appear to be on (flashing).

[NanLaew]

Investigation ongoing but it looks like their was a possible automatic equipment malfunction. However, note that the crossing guard has tested positive for alcohol (breathalyzer and blood test) whereas the truck driver tested negative for alcohol.

 

https://www.thairath.co.th/news/crime/2305930