Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[two_bit_score]

If you look closely, can you spot anything he did right? Nope, me either...

He was driving it like he stole it.

 

[dstig1]

Here is today's entry seen by a friend in the Twin Cities area leaving a Menards...

Not sure if I should give him points for actually trying any tie downs or not given how sad they are...

 

[RobertN]

Except there were no Interstate Highways before 1956-57. The bill was signed by "Ike" in 1956. I can remember it taking three full days to get from Texas to Ohio. 4-lane roads were as rare as frog hair. My parents, 2-brothers, one baby sister and I traveled in a 1957 Plymouth station wagon to get to my grandparents. We camped in State Parks mostly. It was hard for any driver to spend more than 8 hours behind a wheel on the roads back then.

I've made that trip many times in the 70s, 80s and 90s. My best time was 24 hours flat. That included stops for food and gas.

That's what I meant in that what became "I-80" in Ca was US-40.

There's historic highway signage along parts of Auburn Blvd and other roads indicating they were old US-40.

My parents and grandparent talked of the amount of time it too to get from the Sacramento area to Reno in the 1940's and 1950's. It took much longer on the twisty 2-lane over the summit than it did in the 1960's when I-80 was completed. They also pointed out cars didn't handle as well, limits of old narrow bias ply tires etc.

The older highways seemed to have more stops too. More rest areas, gas stations, motels. I can see the need, when roads were slower, trips were longer.

 

[RobertN]

Exactly! Imagine the 2-lane stretches of present US50 to Tahoe without the modern passing lanes, as it was in the 1950's. US40 from Roseville, over Donner Pass, on to Reno, was identical to US50 in design, grades, limited line-of-sight.
Some pix from the Donner Summit Historical Society:

A couple of years later I was up and down US40 weekly, working with a survey crew in Squaw Valley and laying out the pioneer road into what would become Alpine Meadows. As I recall the US40 grade from Donner Lake up to the summit needed to be climbed mostly in second gear and definitely needed a lower gear to descend safely. Real slow if you were behind a truck, either direction. This is what those plows kept open to serve the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics.

My Mom and Dad's high school band played at the opening for the Olympics. San Juan High School; they were class of '60 and '61.

They used to talk about truckers up there being challenged buy the hills ad curves; US 40 over the curved bridge and also running the old canyon road from Auburn to Foresthill. Can just imagine driving that road in a 1950's big rig with twin or triple sticks...

 

[aczlan]

Here is today's entry seen by a friend in the Twin Cities area leaving a Menards...

Not sure if I should give him points for actually trying any tie downs or not given how sad they are...

View attachment 787044

Meh, as long as they stay under 30 it should be fine...
That should be pretty light and its tied to the roof rack halfway up.

Aaron Z

 

[bcp]

Bruce

 

[ning]

that'll buff out

 

[dodge man]

That’s gonna take more than paint to fix that backhoe.

 

[bcp]

Crash between train, tractor trailer raises questions about Catoosa County rail crossing

A train crash in ringgold sent one person to the hospital and created a mess to cleanup.About two months ago... This train crash in collegedale sent two people

newschannel9.com

Bruce

 

[oliver1555]

This happened in our little town a few years ago. It is a private crossing BNSF had just put in and the truck and excavator belonged to them.

 

[BigBlue1]

It seems like if there was going to be any 'remedy' to these situations a simple one would include an emergency button situated near the crossing that would send a signal to any oncoming trains (radio or lights) that the crossing was blocked so they could initiate braking much sooner than visible line-of-sight distances. That would seem to be pretty inexpensive compared to other options. That way if you get a truck stuck on the tracks the driver just gets out, hits the button and at least avoids the carnage and expense of a crash like this.

 

[bcp]

Until the local kids realize they can stop the train with the push of a button.



Bruce

 

[California]

Until the local kids realize they can stop the train with the push of a button.

A 911 call should be the universal Stop The Train signal. Then the dispatcher should have that button.

 

[aczlan]

It seems like if there was going to be any 'remedy' to these situations a simple one would include an emergency button situated near the crossing that would send a signal to any oncoming trains (radio or lights) that the crossing was blocked so they could initiate braking much sooner than visible line-of-sight distances. That would seem to be pretty inexpensive compared to other options. That way if you get a truck stuck on the tracks the driver just gets out, hits the button and at least avoids the carnage and expense of a crash like this.

Not enough time, less than a minute from when he got stuck until the train got hit.
No way the train could have stopped in that time no matter what.
Looked like he was going to raise the neck to get it unstuck, another 1-2 minutes and he would have been clear.


Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

A 911 call should be the universal Stop The Train signal. Then the dispatcher should have that button.

IMO the driver was doing what would have cleared the tracks the fastest (raising the neck of the trailer).
Another 1-2 minutes and it would have been clear.
A 911 operator stopping the train (or even the driver having a radio to talk to the train directly) would not have been quick enough.

Aaron Z

 

[California]

A 911 operator stopping the train (or even the driver having a radio to talk to the train directly) would not have been quick enough.

Agree. I was responding to BCP's comment that an emergency button at the crossing would become be a toy for the neighborhood kids.

Implicit in the concept of a button is that drivers would need to be trained to look for it. Not practical.

Everybody already knows about 911. That should be the universal response by the public when they see an emergency. Nothing is going to stop a train plus finding a phone number for the railroad isn't realistic. A 911 call to mobilize the First Responders is the proper response when it looks like there wil be injuries.

 

[RandyT]

Agree. I was responding to BCP's comment that an emergency button at the crossing would become be a toy for the neighborhood kids.

Implicit in the concept of a button is that drivers would need to be trained to look for it. Not practical.

Everybody already knows about 911. That should be the universal response by the public when they see an emergency. Nothing is going to stop a train plus finding a phone number for the railroad isn't realistic. A 911 call to mobilize the First Responders is the proper response when it looks like there wil be injuries.

the train phone number and crossing number is suppose to be posted at every crossing to call to alert the RR of a object stuck on the tracks. Normally posted on the side of the crossing control box but have observed them listed on the crossing guard post.

 

[California]

the train phone number and crossing number is suppose to be posted at every crossing to call to alert the RR of a object stuck on the tracks. Normally posted on the side of the crossing control box but have observed them listed on the crossing guard post.

I suppose knowing that, is part of holding a CDL But in 60+ years driving cars it's the first I've heard of it.

Yes I've occasionally noticed the info there but I didn't connect it with real or potential crashes. Just thought it was for ordinary maintenance or something, not relevant to the public. Same as the milepost info labelled on roadside paddles at each culvert, or stenciled onto guardrail and bridges. Obviously important to some responsible party, but not the general public.

I just learned something new.

Is it assumed that every driver knows that?

 

[aczlan]

I suppose knowing that, is part of holding a CDL But in 60+ years driving cars it's the first I've heard of it.

Yes I've occasionally noticed the info there but I didn't connect it with real or potential crashes. Just thought it was for ordinary maintenance or something, not relevant to the public.

Should be on every crossing along with the federal crossing ID number and a 24 hour number to report problems.
IIRC it says to call with problems.

Same as the milepost info labelled on roadside paddles at each culvert, or stenciled onto guardrail and bridges. Obviously important to some responsible party, but not the general public.

Those are very useful if you are calling in an accident, disabled vehicle or other hazard on a highway or on a road with few houses or crossroads.

I just learned something new.

Is it assumed that every driver knows that?

No idea, but it makes it easier for the highway crews to find the problem, so I use them whenever possible...

Aaron Z

 

[Oaktree]

Should be on every crossing along with the federal crossing ID number and a 24 hour number to report problems.
IIRC it says to call with problems.

Assuming there is cell coverage, this may not be the case at some of the more rural crossings.