UPDATE: Deaths Reported After Train Hits Trailer Carrying Wounded Warriors in Texas

Something is amiss here and the photos prove it.
Just look at the pictures of the truck the article states was destroyed in the impact.
www.dailymail.co.uk...
It sure doesn't appear destroyed to me. Even the chairs they were sitting on are only shifted slightly. Pay particular attention to the 7th and 9th photos.
How could they not have gotten out of their seats before impact? How can the media say that the float was destroyed when it's right there for all to see in the photo and only looks as though it ran through a deep pothole?
Something is truly wrong here and we aren't getting the true facts.
(If someone could post the 7th and 9th photos in this thread before they're removed from the article, it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.)

Well, for some reason, I can't find the exact spot on Google Streetview, maybe I didn't go far enough. I started at Garfield and Wall, and headed south on Garfield, but I don't see the train tracks.

If someone can find it, it should be enlightening as to what the view of the pickup driver pulling the trailer would have seen.

Here is the Google Street View from the Area

ETA:
Ohhh, from the newest article, it is actually Front Avenue and Garfield Street. That is a large 4 lane road, with a turning lane, flashing lights, and barricades. How the hell this happened is unbelievable!

reply to post by Afterthought


Wow, it was a Semi-truck, and huge flatbed semi-truck trailer! That wasn't a pickup and typical float.

Something is definitly amiss though, because the truck and trailer are still attached, the trailer is barely damaged, even the notebook paper signs are still taped to the side? This looks more like the train side-swiped the trailer, it didn't smash into it like the articles state.

reply to post by Afterthought


Flatbed trailers are designed so that the frame is incredibly strong, especially on the side. We call them Skateboards, because that's how they're built. If you were to stand one on its side, you could put an incredible amount of pressure on it and it wouldn't fail. There was actually quite a bit of damage to that trailer. You can see where it's bent in the middle.

As for the seats, those cargo straps that are holding the seats in place are rated over 2500 lbs or higher depending on the straps. I've seen a few that were rated over 5000 lbs. They are used to hold steel rolls, airplanes, and over things in place, and do so quite nicely.

There was nothing holding the people on the trailer in place however. When the train hit, they were thrown off the back of the truck, which is not an insubstantial height. The back of a trailer is chest high on me, and I'm 6'1. As for why they couldn't get off in time, these were Wounded Warriors, which means a lot of them were probably amputees, which means they needed assistance to get up and down.

OK, here is the Google Street View for this very spot. It is flat as far as the eye can see. There is no reason in the world a train wouldn't have been spotted way in the distance. Perhaps the truck was trapped by other parade traffic?

ETA
Second link same as first, you'll have to navigate it a little yourself.

To those who have replied to my post, I understand that flatbed trucks are built tough, but this train was going 60mph. I would think that the impact would've atleast have flattened the tires as it was pushing the trailer and friction built up. As the one reply indicated, you would also think that the impact would've detached the bed from the truck. Also, I can't believe that the victims were "deer in the headlights" as they could've easily jumped ship. I don't see any seatbelts dangling from the chairs.

As an aside, I was on a passenger train one time when we hit a pick up with three teenagers in it. We didn't even know what happened when we felt the train slowing down. None of the passengers on the train, including myself, even felt the impact. The pick up was destroyed. I would've thought to see more damage to this flatbed than we see in the photos. Like the other poster pointed out, even the papers labeling the occupants are still intact.

reply to post by Afterthought


The tires that would have flattened would have been on the other side most likely. The trailer would have tilted to that side, putting all the pressure and friction on those tires. The ones on the side shown may not even have been on the ground.

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All tractor trailers hit by trains. In not one did the trailer detach from the tractor. The kingpin fits into that fifth wheel very tightly, and very securely. About the only way to get one out is to pull the release handle and detach it the proper way.

I agree, people should have seen the train coming from miles away. I live not too far from Midland, and it's as flat as a pancake in all directions.

However, according to ABC News, there were police sirens wailing as the parade went along, making it impossible to hear the train approaching, so if people weren't looking for it, this train could have came right up on them before they were aware.

The first truck crossed the tracks in time, but the second did not, according to Hamid Vatankhah, a witness who owns a used car lot near the scene of the crash.

Sirens from the police cars in the parade may have drowned out the sound of the approaching train, Vatankhah said.

abcnews.go.com...

It would have been prudent for the police cars to silence their sirens when approaching the tracks, but hindsight is always 20/20.

Very sad story indeed, a tragedy that didn't really have to happen.

Thank you all for keeping this updated.
I still do not understand how this could of happened. This is a very sad case of unfortunate events and what ifs.
Has anyone heard if the driver of the semi is ok? If so, I can not imagine how he/she must feel.
I am trying to find out how they got through the cross guards. I guess the entire story is not out yet, it just is not adding up. Waiting on a detailed report.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Thank you for the videos and I can see how well they hold up during impact.
The papers must've been held on with something akin to super glue or saudered onto the side of the bed though. I just can't get over how they were able to remain attached through it all.

reply to post by Afterthought

reply to post by RoScoLaz


A huge thanks for posting those photos.
The one on the top right really shows how intact everything appears to be.

I'm wondering if the train struck the extreme rear of the trailer and whiplashed it around the truck throwing people off of the trailer? It would make sense the truck would go as far forward as possible hoping to get out of the way, maybe instead of t-boning the trailer, it just caught the trailer near the rear axles and spun it off the tracks? The people would still have gotten plenty of impact and been thrown aways, but it would make more sense why the trailer wasn't damaged worse, and how so many people were able to survive.

reply to post by darkhorserider


You're comment is spot on.
We really need a crime scene sketch showing where the truck and/or bed was hit exactly.

Update from KCBD - Lubbock:

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal records show there were 10 previous collisions at the same West Texas railroad crossing where a train slammed into a parade float carrying wounded veterans and their families.

Records reviewed by The Associated Press from the Federal Railroad Administration show that five cars and five trucks have been struck by trains or rail equipment at the Garfield railroad crossing in Midland since 1979. Six drivers were injured in the accidents but there were no fatalities.

The trains involved in the previous collisions were moving slowly at the time of the accidents - between 15 miles per hour and 25 miles per hour.

Four veterans were killed and 16 other people were injured Thursday when a train struck a tractor-trailer truck towing the float that was stopped on the crossing.

www.kcbd.com...

Apparently this is a dangerous crossing, which has never been properly fixed. I'll bet it will be now.

Originally posted by darkhorserider
I'm wondering if the train struck the extreme rear of the trailer and whiplashed it around the truck throwing people off of the trailer? It would make sense the truck would go as far forward as possible hoping to get out of the way, maybe instead of t-boning the trailer, it just caught the trailer near the rear axles and spun it off the tracks? The people would still have gotten plenty of impact and been thrown aways, but it would make more sense why the trailer wasn't damaged worse, and how so many people were able to survive.

One news source I checked stated it hit the rear of the trailer. Maybe it just knocked it outward from the tracks.

reply to post by FissionSurplus


It has lights, barricades, and good visibility, and a slow moving train. What about it is dangerous? There were no injuries previously, so apparently cars have a tendency to get stranded on that very spot? Maybe it is a super long stop light, or traffic gets backed up and stalled there? Seems so odd for that crossing to be a dangerous one.

You can tell by looking at the paper that it hit between the trailer tandems. Everything before the tandems is intact, but at the tandems the paper is shredded, which is one sign of impact.

reply to post by darkhorserider


I have not looked at the street view yet. But I read a couple of things that led me to believe that there is an intersection close to the tracks. If so, it would be possible that these accidents accrued due to others in front of those waiting on the track having to wait on traffic at the intersection.
IF this is the case, it should be fixed.

reply to post by Quadrivium

Yep, just looked at the street view and there is a stop light on each side of the tacks! That seems kinda stupid. With two semi trucks waiting at the stop light, there would be no way to totally clear the tracks.
The police should have been directing traffic at these lights for the floats. It is a shame something like this had to happen due to reasons that could have easily been prevented.