Denchai-Bangkok express train rams stalled car on railway crossing

[webfact]

Train rams at stalled car on railway crossing in Denchai



BANGKOK: -- A 35-year-old woman narrowly escaped death when her Honda City car happened to stall on an uncontrolled railway crossing while a speeding Denchai-Bangkok express train was coming near in Phitsanulok province Tuesday night.

The No 108 train ploughed into the car with the woman identified as Ms Amornrat Makradee was still holding the wheel.

Her car was crushed beneath the locomotive of the passenger train.

The incident happened at the railway crossing in between Promphirap and Kwae Noi railway stations in Phitsanulok province.

She was removed from the badly damaged car by rescue workers and immediately admitted to Promphirap hospital where she was reported to suffer broken right arm.

The train was allowed to continue the journey when the car was cleared from the tracks.

(Photo : INN News)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/train-rams-stalled-car-railway-crossing-denchai/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-29

[dominique355]

How is it possible in the year 2014 that there are still unprotected railway crossings?

These unprotected crossings are accidents waiting to happen, and they happen (Petchaburi, Bang Lamung), but still nothing is done.

Perhaps it's time to invest some money into the railway system, but previous governments have refused budget to the state railway with the excuse that their service is still too bad and they needed to improve first. A classical case of the cat chasing its own tail.

But millions of taxpayer's money is poured into subsidizing new cars, diesel fuel etc.

[worgeordie]

Just wait till they get the proposed High Speed Trains !!!!

regards Worgeordie

[jvs]

The car stalled on the tracks,hardly the trains fault now is it?

[Commerce]

Come on. Even I still go through when the eight bells toll and are ringing, and the Isuzu behind me is beeping like mad. What I do is make sure that if the gates come down I know which way the train's coming from, and can turn the car sideways; in that way the guy behind in his aggressive rush is pinned. 555.

A car stalling is another matter, even if she was a crap driver I'd bet she was driving and auto, and it's pretty difficult to make a relatively new car stall.

She's a very lucky woman - broken arm? As for the car 'crushed' beneath the train, that car looks more like a little impact occurred; it certainly was not crushed beneath a train.......... thus... more media hype to get a boring news story. Another filler, as the real news is being 'curfewed'.

[JacChang]

just give her a parking ticket, and call it a day

[halloween]

How is it possible in the year 2014 that there are still unprotected railway crossings?

These unprotected crossings are accidents waiting to happen, and they happen (Petchaburi, Bang Lamung), but still nothing is done.

Perhaps it's time to invest some money into the railway system, but previous governments have refused budget to the state railway with the excuse that their service is still too bad and they needed to improve first. A classical case of the cat chasing its own tail.

But millions of taxpayer's money is poured into subsidizing new cars, diesel fuel etc.

As a Darwinist, I object to spending huge amounts of money to make the world safe for idiots. If someone is stupid enough to drive through a Stop sign into the path of an oncoming 10,000 ton train, my sympathy meter won't even flicker off the zero.

[bangrak]

How is it possible in the year 2014 that there are still unprotected railway crossings?

These unprotected crossings are accidents waiting to happen, and they happen (Petchaburi, Bang Lamung), but still nothing is done.

Perhaps it's time to invest some money into the railway system, but previous governments have refused budget to the state railway with the excuse that their service is still too bad and they needed to improve first. A classical case of the cat chasing its own tail.

But millions of taxpayer's money is poured into subsidizing new cars, diesel fuel etc.

As a Darwinist, I object to spending huge amounts of money to make the world safe for idiots. If someone is stupid enough to drive through a Stop sign into the path of an oncoming 10,000 ton train, my sympathy meter won't even flicker off the zero.

Nearly new car, ah, then probably with full insurance coverage, ...to pay indemnities to the railway cy.! Were the papers of the car checked? And the lady's driving license, when any? You can't have all railway crossings protected, in the, few, countries where it is so, they have done so by suppressing the not secured crossings, blocking the access roads, making one drive around miles and miles away, I don't think Thais are prepared to do that, and will attempt to cross over the rails, even more hazardous, and not even a warning bell! IMO, the only 'solution' is a nearly impossible one: improve the Thai females, and males(!)', driving skills, and make them aware it is no matter how big their pride is, it will not stop a train on the move...

[carter1882]

To the people who think this is unusual and somehow a Thai problem have a look at the figures in the US, for example. In 2013 there were 2,087 collisions at railway crossings resulting in 929 injuries and 251 fatalities. The figures in recent years are roughly similar.

http://oli.org/about-us/news/collisions-casulties

Or maybe the Thai bashers just prefer to live in ignorance.

[seajae]

time and time again when driving I see just how impatient thai drivers are, rather then stop to give way they will cut you off, they move to your side of the road 5 meters before the corner so they can turn right without having to stop but making the car on that side have to slam their brakes on. They run red lights and are always looking at ways of not having to slow down or wait for anyone else, now we see that this idiot women tried to do it with a train, no pity for fools like this, they should not be driving at all, the flashing lights and warning bells are still there on these "unprotected " crossings plus the train lights would be seen well before hand seeing it was at night, trying to race a train so she didnt have to wait and how would the car stall, she simply tried to beat it and failed miserably, caught out and now has to cover up her loss of face by making up a bullsh*t excuses.

[katana]

There was a similar crash caught on CCTV yesterday afternoon involving a collision between a car and the Hua Hin - BKK train at the Raikluay crossing in Tambon Mamuang in Petchaburi province.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLnG8QySZcI

[seajae]

To the people who think this is unusual and somehow a Thai problem have a look at the figures in the US, for example. In 2013 there were 2,087 collisions at railway crossings resulting in 929 injuries and 251 fatalities. The figures in recent years are roughly similar.

http://oli.org/about-us/news/collisions-casulties

Or maybe the Thai bashers just prefer to live in ignorance.

anyone trying to race a train is stupid whether they are thai or any other nationality, trouble is with thai drivers is that a lot of them simply refuse to have to wait for anyone else on the roads , I have never seen this as bad as I have here because they deliberately cut other people off rather than have to stop or give way, its not thai bashing, it is driver bashing. Fools and idiots get what they deserve as in this case but she was very lucky, she should by a lottery ticket

[Estrada]

Amazing Thailand. That is three railway crossing collisions on Tuesday. One on the Hua Hin line, One on the Pattaya line and one in Phitsanalok.

[ratcatcher]

Judging by the fact she escaped with a broken arm and the car isn't crushed beyond recognition, she's lucky that the "speeding" ( read traveling at normal permissible track speed for that section) train didn't completely demolish her tin can.

As can be seen in the photo, the locomotive's headlights were on, and the driver would have been whistling the crossing which is marked on the railway right of way. If there is an event recorder on board it will show he applied the brakes before the impact.

Since it's a RH drive car, she would have taken the full impact of the locomotive on her driver's door.

Perhaps when she's better she can locate and apologize to the train crew for spoiling their trip, as they were merely doing their job..

The moral to this and all other similar rail tales is don't pick a fight with a train. You won't win. Ever.

Edited to add, Just for accuracy?

Train rams at stalled car on railway crossing in Denchai in Phrae provincel. (TVF)

Train rams at stalled car on railway crossing in Phisanulok (English news)

The incident happened at the railway crossing in between Promphirap and Kwae Noi railway stations in Phitsanulok province.

[blazes]

Agree with Ratcatcher above. The train must have been going at a preternaturally slow speed for the car to have sustained such small damage.