Train bus crash kills two, injures over 30

[cumgranosalum]

No flashing lights at the crossing. No drop down gates. Okayyyy, but you telling me the bus drive can't see that big <deleted> train coming at him???? Sorry, but I seriously hope the bus driver was one of those who were killed.

He was. If he hadn't stopped on the tracks to look both ways he might still be alive today.

Brilliant; stopping on the TRACK to look both ways to make sure a train is not coming.

Nobel prizes = 0 No brain prizes X x 10 6th power

solve for X

I think you'll find he stopped because the passengers were screaming.

[cumgranosalum]

Several board members ask why the train didn't brake, it was probably traveling at a speed of 80 - 100kph, if the brakes were applied immediately it saw the bus, it would have taken at least 1.4 -1.6 km to pull up. The train weighs probably about 400 tonnes, and the bus, about 4. This is why the train has right of way, it cannot swerve off the line, it cannot brake quickly, bus can do both. It appears that the sun may have been in bus drivers eyes, he is probably on a tight schedule, so has to keep up a certain average speed. Not an excuse for the bus driver, but probably the causes of the collision. My sympathy for all involved, including the train driver, who would have seen it coming, and been unable to do anything to avoid it.

D.

?? Train takes 1.4 - 1.6 kph to stop. ?? Its a passenger train not a 7klm long,100000 tonnes iron ore train. Seems to stop pretty quick once its hit the bus. Bus weighs 4 tonne??

No, it takes about 1.4 - 1.6 Km not kph

It seems I have been shot down, and my figures are totally wrong, thus I apologise. The train must undoubtedly be able to stop in less than 10 metres, and the bus must take much longer. The weight of the bus given in the table attached to one reply gives the weight of the bus as up to 26 tonnes fully laden with a large overweight component, so it also must weigh more than the train, It is useless trying to give a valid point of view on TV - I'm done.

this looks like the babble of someone with no argument?

reality is that a train - even a light commuter - takes a comparatively long distance to stop compared to a bus. however it still doesn't answer the question as to whether or not the train had reduced speed as it was approaching an un-gated crossing or if the brakes had been applied once the bus was spotted - a how far away had the driver of the train noticed the bus?

Edited April 5, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[BSJ]

Common sense is a rare commodity when it comes to Thai drivers generally. The number of dead and injured in any one year is testimony to that!

[Assurancetourix]

Even you have a bad visibility because of many things like a black screen film on your windows; you can hear the big horn of the train;

but in Thailand, especially in those mobile karaoke buses it's impossible because of the noise inside the bus .

For me, and it's my opinion, it's again a bus driver's fault .

Never forget that at a crossing between a road and a railway, it's always the train which has the priority .

( and forget my bad french english; hope u can understand what I wrote ; but never forget it was my job - international coach and trucks - in France during 13 years ( 1971 - 1983 ) )

Edited April 5, 2016 by Assurancetourix

[cumgranosalum]

Common sense is a rare commodity when it comes to Thai drivers generally. The number of dead and injured in any one year is testimony to that!

except that human error is constant throughout the world in road incidents.....

[cumgranosalum]

Even you have a bad visibility because of many things like a black screen film on your windows; you can hear the big horn of the train;

but in Thailand, especially in those mobile karaoke buses it's impossible because of the noise inside the bus .

For me, and it's my opinion, it's again a bus driver's fault .

Never forget that at a crossing between a road and a railway, it's always the train which has the priority .

( and forget my bad french english; hope u can understand what I wrote ; but never forget it was my job - international coach and trucks - in France during 13 years ( 1971 - 1983 ) )

as said - human error is a constant - it is what designers and authorities do to mitigate this that is important - this sort of thing is not just a Thai thing - it happens less in countries where it CAN"T happen, not where people have this mythical concept of "common sense".

[Assurancetourix]

Yesterday they wrote two people die, this morning on thai TV , channel 8, I think, they said 4 people died ;

I think 2 more in the hospital .

You wrote " it happens less in countries where it CAN"T happen " ;

I know about that but in Thailand I have the very bad impression they do all the bad things for having soon a road accident ;

have a look at these pickups with ten people in the back, the dump..

Or without light in the night or with additional red lamps in the front and green ones in the back ...

All these people - from the motorbike to the big truck - driving on the opposite direction on the four lanes roads ..

etc ...adn so on ..

[Dublin]

Gates not ready so we put up some signs which are soft controls not even some warning lights for a train approaching ,,,, generally people wont read signs especially a Thai bus driver, and they want High Speed Trains in Thailand the carnage will be unbelievable.....

[cumgranosalum]

Even you have a bad visibility because of many things like a black screen film on your windows; you can hear the big horn of the train;

but in Thailand, especially in those mobile karaoke buses it's impossible because of the noise inside the bus .

For me, and it's my opinion, it's again a bus driver's fault .

Never forget that at a crossing between a road and a railway, it's always the train which has the priority .

( and forget my bad french english; hope u can understand what I wrote ; but never forget it was my job - international coach and trucks - in France during 13 years ( 1971 - 1983 ) )

the noise level is not established especially in the cab and did the train sound its horn at all...I think not

[cumgranosalum]

Gates not ready so we put up some signs which are soft controls not even some warning lights for a train approaching ,,,, generally people wont read signs especially a Thai bus driver, and they want High Speed Trains in Thailand the carnage will be unbelievable.....

Firstly the lights weren't working

Secondly - do you seriously think that even Thailand would have un-gated crossings with a high speed train?

[cumgranosalum]

Yesterday they wrote two people die, this morning on thai TV , channel 8, I think, they said 4 people died ;

I think 2 more in the hospital .

You wrote " it happens less in countries where it CAN"T happen " ;

I know about that but in Thailand I have the very bad impression they do all the bad things for having soon a road accident ;

have a look at these pickups with ten people in the back, the dump..

Or without light in the night or with additional red lamps in the front and green ones in the back ...

All these people - from the motorbike to the big truck - driving on the opposite direction on the four lanes roads ..

etc ...adn so on ..

why not THINK about what you just posted....why does it happen?

[halloween]

the noise level is not established especially in the cab and did the train sound its horn at all...I think not

So you think the train driver ignored SOP, because that suits the position you have taken? Or is that "not established" too?

[atyclb]

No flashing lights at the crossing. No drop down gates. Okayyyy, but you telling me the bus drive can't see that big <deleted> train coming at him???? Sorry, but I seriously hope the bus driver was one of those who were killed.

He was. If he hadn't stopped on the tracks to look both ways he might still be alive today.

Brilliant; stopping on the TRACK to look both ways to make sure a train is not coming.

Nobel prizes = 0 No brain prizes X x 10 6th power

solve for X

I think you'll find he stopped because the passengers were screaming.

consistent with passengers seeing the train but NOT THE DRIVER seeing the train.

does not bode well for your "highly experienced driver" theory

[taony]

Still no headline that Mr. Man even knows about this.

All bluster, no action.

[cumgranosalum]

the noise level is not established especially in the cab and did the train sound its horn at all...I think not

So you think the train driver ignored SOP, because that suits the position you have taken? Or is that "not established" too?

please explain....

[cumgranosalum]

He was. If he hadn't stopped on the tracks to look both ways he might still be alive today.

Brilliant; stopping on the TRACK to look both ways to make sure a train is not coming.

Nobel prizes = 0 No brain prizes X x 10 6th power

solve for X

I think you'll find he stopped because the passengers were screaming.

consistent with passengers seeing the train but NOT THE DRIVER seeing the train.

does not bode well for your "highly experienced driver" theory

""highly experienced driver" - what theory is that?

I doubt BTW, if the driver saw the train until it was too late - I imagine that he was told by screaming passengers/crew about the train and then realised that reverse was the only option....i doubt at first if he even knew what track the train was on.

IU would take the police report "cumgranosalis"

[daveAustin]

Lucky train didn't derail and/or dozens weren't killed!

[cumgranosalum]

Here's what may have happened........

[taony]

Mr. Man, where is your pronouncement?? Why haven't you held anyone accountable yet like you promised just a few hours before this happened???