Why You Shouldn't Race A Train...

This will be fairly short because I am tired and would like to go to sleep, but I have to get it down.

Luke and I ventured to La Junta today to visit an old trading post fort. On the way there we witnessed a sight that I still can't believe. There was a white pickup who turned off the highway to head down a street. In order to head down the side street one has to cross railroad tracks. It was one of those moments where you say "am I really seeing this??"

It's not anything out of the ordinary for a vehicle to turn off a main road and cross railroad tracks to get to their destination. It IS out of the ordinary to see a vehicle turn off and head to cross the tracks when a train is coming at them.

This particular train was only the engine and 3 cars, and it was only going what I'd estimate about 20 mph. No big deal. Yet think about the size of those things and the fact they don't stop on a dime. The weight of them means it takes some distance at any speed. So....

The truck never even slowed down. In fact, I think he sped up a bit! It was a moment where I said out loud "am I seeing this? Is this guy really going to try to outrun that train? Holy crap, what is he doing?? There he goes, he's going, oh no, he's going...uh oh...oh, I almost can't look...." (insert the literal thing of watching a trainwreck happen...you can't take your eyes away).

Then it happened...

BAM!!!!!!

The train hit the truck, the truck slid about 10 feet, then rolled....and rolled....and finally came to a stop next to the highway a good distance from where it began. The train? I think the engineer actually was thinking the same thing I was before hitting the truck because he was already on his brakes, and, yes, they screech. It still took about 1/4 mile before he was stopped.

I was so shocked that I actually let out an "OH S...!!!!!" I was even so surprised at what I was seeing that I didn't shreek. It was surreal! In this particular instance, I think the expletive can be forgiven.

This is a major highway so there was plenty of traffic. I wasn't in a place I could stop, but there were those in both directions who were. We had all already slowed WAY down. I also didn't have a good spot to turn around, so I had to wait a bit. When I did, I saw there were more than enough people on scene, including the first emergency service and law enforcement personnel, so we turned back around and headed East again. I didn't know how the driver was, but I also knew dwelling on it wouldn't help anyone.

When our daytrip concluded, we headed West for home. This was my opportunity to take a couple of pictures with my phone. I apologize for the poor quality....there's only so much on can do from a (very slowly) moving vehicle and a cell phone. But it gives an idea.





I was able to gain the information via news on the radio that the driver died. He was ejected when the truck rolled. The 10pm local news stated there was a passenger who was also ejected and died. Neither were wearing seatbelts. A double lesson here.

So, it is off to bed for me where my mind will continue to reel from what it saw today. Never in my wildest dreams did I figure I would see a train-car collision on anything other than news footage or a movie. It is something I actually hope others don't have to witness, either.....