A freight train in motion is an exercise of momentum. With rolling weights that generally go into the tens of thousands of tons carrying speeds similar to cars, stopping a freight train is the kind of event that has to be planned out hours in advance…you simply cannot panic-stop a freight train. Unfortunately, that means that should something be on the track that can’t be moved, the end result isn’t going to be pretty at all.
This video was shot in Mer Rouge, Louisiana a couple of days ago. The semi-truck carrying a crane stalled out on the tracks and wasn’t coming back to life for anyone. The driver of the truck saw the Union Pacific train coming and did the only thing he could do: run like hell. The impact speaks for itself. The engines of the train hit so hard that they lifted from the track at impact. Several rail cars derailed, including a tanker carrying argon gas that started leaking. First responders working the scene redirected traffic and got the two engineers to the hospital. One suffered a compound fracture, and it’s believed that the other may have suffered a fractured spine. Traffic was detoured as cleanup and rail checks are completed.
(Courtesy Jalopnik/David’s Garden Seeds and Products
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“Alex, I’ll take train for the win”.
Best wishes for the engineers to make a speedy recovery.
By all means, when there is a chemical leak, roll the windows down so you can get better footage.
Local news said the evacuation was due to fears of an argon explosion. – – – Yep.
That is TRAGICALLY hilarious, LMAO.
Argon gas explosion? Maybe if it wasn’t already leaking and exploded. But argon does not burn. In fact it is used to prevent fires.
The danger is that argon is denser than air, and asphyxiates people. But before that happened, you would notice your car stopped because the engine was effectively asphyxiated.
I must have a strong fight or flight responce, because I would have hauled ass as soon as I saw the impact.
Yea, I would have booked after that impact especially with all them tanker trains!