Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Portland's light rail runs red light, smashes fire truck
A fire truck racing to someone's rescue was destroyed by a light-rail train in the Portland suburb of Hillsboro. The accident took place Sunday afternoon, January 2, and about 4:15. Several people were injured, including a firefighter and the train driver. Only ten to fifteen people were on board the two-car train (capacity = 300 or more) and most were uninjured.
The fire truck, however, was apparently totalled. Though no photos are available, The Oregonian reports that the "entire back end of the fire engine was crushed and twisted like an empty soda can," totalling the nearly new $300,000 truck. One of the two light-rail cars also suffered severe damage after being derailed and smashing into a tree. Witnesses said that the tree probably saved a nearby home from destruction.
Emergency vehicles and light-rail cars both have "signal priority," which means traffic signals change to accommodate them. Given a conflict, the emergency vehicles get priority over the rail cars. A follow-up story reports that the fire engine's signal system was working properly and officials speculate that the light-rail car was simply unable to stop for the red light. Even at a speed of just 15 miles per hour, say transit officials, a light-rail train can take 50 feet or more to stop.
This means that such accidents are completely predictable, and this isn't even the first time a Portland light-rail train has collided with a fire engine. What can be said about the sanity of planners who put 110-ton trains in the same streets as fire engines, cars, and pedestrians?
The fire truck, however, was apparently totalled. Though no photos are available, The Oregonian reports that the "entire back end of the fire engine was crushed and twisted like an empty soda can," totalling the nearly new $300,000 truck. One of the two light-rail cars also suffered severe damage after being derailed and smashing into a tree. Witnesses said that the tree probably saved a nearby home from destruction.
Emergency vehicles and light-rail cars both have "signal priority," which means traffic signals change to accommodate them. Given a conflict, the emergency vehicles get priority over the rail cars. A follow-up story reports that the fire engine's signal system was working properly and officials speculate that the light-rail car was simply unable to stop for the red light. Even at a speed of just 15 miles per hour, say transit officials, a light-rail train can take 50 feet or more to stop.
This means that such accidents are completely predictable, and this isn't even the first time a Portland light-rail train has collided with a fire engine. What can be said about the sanity of planners who put 110-ton trains in the same streets as fire engines, cars, and pedestrians?
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