Many jumped from float before train rammed it

MIDLAND, Texas A freight train slammed into a parade float carrying wounded veterans on Thursday, killing four people and injuring 17 others as the float tried to get through a West Texas railroad crossing on its way to an honorary banquet, authorities said.

The train was sounding its horn and people were jumping off the decorated flatbed truck before the collision around 4:40 p.m. in Midland, according to witnesses and Union Pacific spokesman Tom Lange. A preliminary investigation indicates the crossing gate and lights were working, Lange said, though he didn't know if the train crew saw the float approaching.

Two people died at the scene, while two others died at Midland Memorial Hospital, City of Midland spokesman Ryan Stout said. Six people remained hospitalized Thursday night, including at least one in critical condition; the other 11 people injured have been treated and released, hospital officials said.

About two dozen veterans and their spouses had been sitting in chairs on the float, set up on the back of a flatbed tractor-trailer decorated with American flags and signs identifying each veteran. Many seemed to panic as the locomotive's horn sounded, said Patricia Howle, who was waiting in her car at a nearby traffic light as the train approached.

"I was on the phone, and I just started screaming," she told The Associated Press late Thursday night. "The truck was on the other side of the train, but I did see the panic on the faces of the people and saw some of them jump off."

The float was among two flatbed tractor-trailers carrying veterans and their spouses. Police said the first truck safely crossed the railroad tracks, but the second truck's trailer was still on the crossing as the train approached.

"The train honked its horn, but the 18-wheeler could not go anywhere because of the other one being right in front of it," said Daniel Quinonez, who was in traffic that had been stopped by sheriff's deputies to allow the parade to pass.

"It was a horrible accident to watch happen right in front of me. I just saw the people on the semi-truck's trailer panic, and many started to jump off the trailer. But it was too late for many of them because the train impacted the trailer so fast," he told the AP.

Several police vehicles remained at the crash scene late Thursday night. Flood lights illuminated the wreck as investigators in reflective vests and hard hats carefully took measurements of the site, which was cordoned off by yellow police tape.

The parade had been scheduled to end at a "Hunt for Heroes" banquet honoring the veterans. The wounded service members were then going to be treated to a deer-hunting trip this weekend. The events were canceled.

The events were organized by Show Of Support, a local veterans group. Its president, Terry Johnson, did not immediately return an email for comment and his phone number was unlisted; the phone rang unanswered at the group's offices.

Stout, also the police department's spokesman, said he had no information about the individuals who died or the driver of the truck.

Lange said Union Pacific is offering help to the community and victims' families, as well as peer-to-peer counseling for the train crew, who did not sustain any injuries.

"There is going to be a very thorough investigation," Lange said. "It's obviously a very tragic incident."

The National Transportation Safety Board also is investigating, NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson said.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta "was deeply saddened by news of the tragic accident involving veterans heroes and their spouses in Midland," Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement. "His thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, with those injured in this incident, and with the entire community."

Midland is about 320 miles west of Dallas.

[Missouri12]

Things a REAL railroad Operation Lifesaver (OL) group would ask!!!
1. Why are all OL directors handpuppets of the railroad or government only giving lip service safety messages?
2. Why nothing is ever mentioned by OL that would cost the railroads a penny on the obviously missing safety equipment and track maintenance work?
3. Where are the crossing safety signals for the trains going too fast with no brakes or steering at 1,000s of crossings?
4. Where are the track video monitors for the trains going too fast with no brakes or steering to get the train stopped IN TIME?
5. Why aren't railroads paying at least half for crossing signals because it's their trains going too fast with no brakes or steering while paying the so-called RR directors millions a year.
6. Why the crossing humps trapping big trucks aren't required to be removed?
7. Why the crossing surfaces aren't wider where if a vehicle fish tails on slick road and is trapped at the edge of the crossing surface trap?
8. Why the train cabs aren't required to be lit up like a Christmas tree with emergency vehicle light bars? LOOK AND SEE!!
9. Why the front of trains aren't required to have air bags or something to soften impacts?
10. Why trains don't have better braking systems? OLIs message now shows train brakes obviously suck.
11. Why there are no bidding invitations on the obviously overcharged crossing projects the tax-payers pay the railroads for. $10,000 just to get the equipment to the sight. TRUCKED IN.
12. Why trains are allowed to run in the fog?
13. Why the crossings aren't lit up so drivers can see the black rail cars across the tracks at night?
14. Why railroads remove and steal signals we paid for on closed re-worked crossings?
15. Why $$$millions$$$ of the rail safety budget we pay in is wasted on needless reworks at crossings preventing signals where needed?
16. Why the railroad isn't required to de-ice crossings before they roll the trains?
17. Why the railroad isn't required to raise their overpasses so big trucks can get under them? The railroad wants to double stack and our road overpasses are too low---no problem WE PAY MILLIONS.
18. Why drug/alcohol tests aren't done on rail crews at crossing/pedestrian collisions?
19. Why railroads are allowed to get off with the train black box , signal black box (if crossing signals are present), and cab video at crossing/pedestrian collisions?
20. Why the fact is hidden that trains kill a few thousand people in 100 million train miles when regular drivers have like ONE death?
21.Why Amtrak passengers aren't required to look at the despicable shape of the crossings before they board the trains?
22.Why train horns aren't blown at private crossings till the last second freezing drivers?
23.Why the railroads track lights can't be at a crossing?
24 .Why railroads need track lights and civilians don't?
WAITING FOR OLI/OLI.CA response.

[Eisenhower_Dwight_D_USA]

@Missouri12... I'm not a railroad man, but I was once in professional transportation and won many safety awards. Several of the items you posted are entirely incorrect. 1) ALL professional transportation personnel in any kind of transportation accident with fatalities are AUTOMATICALLY, BY LAW... given blood or urine tests blood alcohol in the United States. This has been the case since the mid-80s and applies to air and ground accidents. Air accidents are covered by FAA and Ground accidents by ICC and NHTSA. Rail workers are subject to the same tests. In addition, all Trains and Planes have Black box recorders. Buses and Trucks have black box inertia computers, as well as GPS monitors. 2) You are obviously a civilian and non-professional, so I won't belabor this. Do you have any idea how many tons just ONE loaded freight car weighs? Do you have any idea how many freight cars are on a loaded freight train? Do you have any idea how many feet it takes a loaded 300 freight car train to STOP from 50-60mph? Do you have any idea how many feet it takes a loaded tractor trailer to stop from 20 mph? A Bus to stop from 20 mph? I suggest you google these things before presuming guilt on the train operator's part. Finally 3) ALL and I mean ALL Trucks and Buses are by FEDERAL LAW and CDL statute required to come to a FULL STOP exactly FIFTY FEET before a railroad crossing, regardless of whether a signal is green or not. Such vehicles are NOT ALLOWED BY FEDERAL LAW to cross ANY rail line until and ONLY if there is the equivalent distance of the length of the vehicle on the OTHER side of the rail crossing PLUS FIFTY FEET. IN other words, if the Tractor-Trailer combination is 60 fet long, the operator of such vehicle is to come to a full STOP and not proceed until he / she has 110 feet clearance on the other side. Yes, this accident was FULLY avoidable, even though it would take the train 1/2 mile to stop at the crossing. The Truck driver is 100% at fault according to the laws of the road and the laws of physics. Additionally, the Veteran's group is liable for hiring a tractor driver who deliberately did not obey the # 1 rule in vehicle operation at rail crossings. "NEVER MOVE a VEHICLE past a RR CROSSBAR STRIPE, UNLESS YOU CAN CLEAR THE OTHER SIDE".

[takacrat]

This is a HQ call out of Chicago.

[quotelawrence]

is it just me or is this strange, that the only vehicle hit was wounded veterans my heart goes out to those injured, and those that have further been injured and neglected.

[IHNCbeapy]

So it would have been better if it had been a bus load of kids going home after the game?

[mari1963]

Train engineers should be thrown in jail when these things happen. They should be prosecuted and punished.

They are no above the law! Shame on this stupid train engineer! IDIOT!

[1redfish1]

Are you crazy - Do you know how long it takes to stop even a short (20 -30 car) train. How about a driver that cannot see signals, crossing gate and their is no room to move a 18 wheeler safely onto the other side of the tracks + trains have the right of way @ all RR track and street crossings. It is the driver that used horrible judgment on trying to cross without looking BOTH ways down the track. It is the drivers responsibility to make sure he crosses the tracks safely and it will be the driver who bears the burden of all these deaths and injuries and legal ramifications for his actions. I think you are the IDIOT!

[American-exceptionalism]

This is a horrible tragedy , but please elaborate how this could possibly be the Train Engineers fault.... Freight Trains take upwards of a mile to stop depending on load and speed. Once the truck committed to crossing in front of the train , the Engineer was merely along for the ride and could not have changed the outcome. Sad, sad story made sadder by ignortant comments .

[misands]

What a sad, sad thing to happen. I feel sorry for eveyone involved, and it seems so unfair that these vets have to endure this on top of what they have already had to endure with their injuries. It's always heartbreaking to see what should be a joyous thing turn into a tragedy.

One thing I don't understand is why they did't have the arm things at the railroad crossing that come down when the train is approaching. Is that something they don't do in Texas? I can't help but wonder if Texas, in its anti-tax and government attitude, feels no need to install these sort of safety features in its transportation system. Also, it strikes me as odd that a truck driver would start crossing over the tracks if the truck in front of him has stopped, forcing the driver to stop on the tracks.

[ssadibug]

You can stop your liberal propaganda!

There ARE lights and bars at that crossing.

The train was traveling at a high rate of speed and the trailer was already on the tracks before the arms could lower.

They were in procession (moving) when the truck topped the rails and came to an unespected stop.

It's certainly a sickening horrible accident.

I can't help think over in my mind what that driver could have done differently.... like rammed the truck in front, jumped the medians, anything to get those people across.

[kbbpll]

ssadibug, what the driver could have done differently is not proceed onto the tracks until there was room to get fully across.

[caljack430]

I see normal cars make the same mistake this driver made almost every day... Sitting IN the railroad crossing until a light changes, or traffic moves forward EVEN THOUGH there does not appear to be a train coming at that time. First off- at least in PA, its illegal to stop ON the tracks, and second off- its just stupid. You should NEVER assume you will make it through, always stop BEFORE the tracks, because there will be times like this when dozens of lives are at risk and you physically can't get out of the way before a giant train comes barreling through.

[techcnc1a]

As a Road Captain and licensed Engineer who often leads MC groups across railroad tracks, I will say that the truck driver IS solely at FAULT. You only proceed IF you have room on the other side to fully get your rig across the tracks with margin to spare. Especially, if you are carrying people.

Don't lay blame on the first truck driver, or parade officials or the police. Blame this on the driver's uneducated ignorance, negligence, and ****poor judgement. Whoever gave this truck driver his drivers license also is partially to blame.

[chris76543]

Who's to say this driver even had a CDL??? Any driver should know not to stop on the tracks (Drivers Ed 101), and big rig drivers are trained not to do this.

[IHNCbeapy]

In Midland, it is against the law for the train to blow its horn when approaching an intersection. Go figure that one out!

[demaggg]

Trains don't just Happen along at random times during the day...If a parade route crosses an active rail line, knowledge the rail schedule should have been a priority. THISISHOWWELIKEIT, You are truly an *******, What can you say? how about something intelligent for starters. Do you feel that some how they deserve this be because they were going on a deer hunt? Or maybe because they were veterans in the first place? The fact that you took the time to post such a comment shows your arrogance and stupidity. I hope you and your whole family get hit by a train....

[davefromga]

Not so sure about having his whole family get hit, but I wouldn't shed any tears if some train scored a direct hit on him!

[gidlp]

Passenger trains work on schedules. How accurate is it to say freight trains do so also.

[normtrek]

WHY THE HELL WERE PEOPLE RIDING ON A FLATBED IN THE FIRST PLACE? THEY WERE NOT EVEN AT THE PARADE YET.

[naturalmanTn]

This is a terrible situation. My condolences to the families of those involved. It could have been avoided if the second truck would have stayed off the tracks until there was enough room to cross over completely and clear the crossing gate. I am a retired commercial driver with many miles and years of experience, and any driver of any vehicle should always be aware of the surroundings at all RR crossings.