R&N 2102 Close Call with Tamaqua FD
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Reading & Northern 2102, pulling an autumn leaf excursion has a close call in Tamaqua, PA with the fire department responding to a 5 alarm fire downtown around 4:30 pm, Saturday October 29, 2022. Thankfully it was reported there were no injuries in the fire.
People tend to treat a steam locomotive like a toy. The 2102 herself weighs over 400 tons, and was pulling 18 sold-out passenger cars, doing 35 mph, probably with around 1,000 people on board. A train is nothing to mess with!
1000 people? lol no
@yuy389 - Do the math. The "pink" faded coaches carry 84 passengers each. There were 9 of those cars, holding 756 people, plus the extra-fare cars.
nor is a fire.
Bottom line, according to the PA vehicle code they have the right to do what they did but there is a phrase in this section that says "due regard.". Odds are (what actually happened) they made it through safe, but now just think if they didn't? You would still have the potential of 4 trapped victims in the fire. Then a problem on top of a problem which would drain much needed resources to the fire scene to the scene of an accident. If the fire truck did hit the train this could be a potential MCI involving the fire crew, train men and between 650 and 750 passengers on board the train. The old saying goes "we didn't start the problem, let's not become part of if."
-be safe everyone
Federal laws trumps state laws. Trains have right of way, period. This was illegal.
@@BSRC318 *SOME* Federal laws trump state laws - in this case, as an interstate carrier, Federal law does supersede state law. But either way, physics laws trump both state and Federal laws, and the laws of physics clearly favor the train. Also, there is this to think about: the accident would have blocked that intersection, thus delaying the department's (or at least part of the department's) response to the fire longer than if they just waited for the train.
@@BSRC318 Would you have had this opinion if it was one of your loved ones caught in the 5-alarm blaze they were responding to?
I showed this video to my father who used to be a voulnteer fighter and former Battalion Chief. Even though the truck driver stopped, this still was a very stupid move of the driver. He has to take into account the weight of a 4-8-4 T-1and how fast a T-1 can stop and how fast a Fire Engine can stop. There was a chance that himself and the crew could have never made it to the call. Yes my Dad and I get there were trapped victims, but the safety and well being of the truck crew while heading to the call is top priority.
Every time I see this engine I'm amazed at it's sheer pulling power. And at speed, too!
When I came through tamaqua heading south following the train I saw the second fire truck get through after but had no clue about the first. Absolute chaos.
The first fire truck entered the crossing at 0:06, cleared at 0:11. Train entered the crossing at 0:18, cleared at 1:00. Net gain for the response of 0:55. 0:07 was NOT worth the risk in my opinion. With 20 years as a volunteer firefighter and 39 years as a railroader I would side with the railroad on this one. Wait it out. There are way too many what if's here to be taking that risk. (All the FDs I was involved with treated railroad crossing signals as an absolute stop).
I'm 4 years on in NJ, my dad was on 30 years. I showed him the video, he said the engine driver made the right call. There was enough time for the pumper to cross the tracks before 2102 crossed. He did the right thing by coming to a stop and went before the train came. Now I'm not looking to argue about it or cause a controversy, but part of the job as a firefighter is taking risks when a job like a 5 alarm fire is going.
In another words if it was your family trapped you wouldn't want to risk it ?? So you just wait it out ?
@alwhalen3488
I'll bet that gave the engineer and fireman a fright.
Not even close. Had it been closer, maybe. But close calls are an every day occurrence.
This footage is just crazy for me, loud siren, loud whistle, GREAT COMBO
The apparatus chauffer stopped the rig, looked carefully and made a considered judgement call to proceed because he was confident he could clear the track before the train arrived. This is not the classic circumstance of an apparatus being driven Code 3 and blowing through intersections without even touching the brakes. In addition, I am do not know if the situation being reported at what was obviously a working fire, involved trapped persons in need of near instant rescue. If that turns out to be the case, there is NO question in my mind that the chauffer did the right thing in making a bold move that he knew his rig could do. The risk/reward calculation works in this instance.
District 65, box 25. Apartment building fire. Upon arrival upgraded to second alarm with reports of entrapment
Still illegal, no reason they couldn't have waited. Railroad has right of way, period.
§ 3341. Obedience to signal indicating approach of train.
(a) General rule.--Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing under any of the circumstances stated in this section, the driver of the vehicle shall stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad and shall not proceed until it can be done safely. The foregoing requirements shall apply upon the occurrence of any of the following circumstances:
(1) A clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device gives warning of the immediate approach of a railroad train.
(2) A crossing gate is lowered or a flagman gives or continues to give a signal of the approach or passage of a railroad train.
(3) A railroad train approaching within approximately 1,500 feet of the highway crossing emits a signal audible from that distance and the railroad train, by reason of its speed or nearness to the crossing, is a hazard.
(4) An approaching railroad train is plainly visible and is in hazardous proximity to the crossing.
(b) Compliance with crossing gate or barrier.--
(1) No person shall drive any vehicle through, around or under any crossing gate or barrier at a railroad crossing while the gate or barrier is closed.
(2) No person shall start to drive a vehicle through, around or under a gate or barrier at the entrance to a railroad crossing while the gate or barrier is being opened or closed.
(c) Penalties.--A violation of subsection (a) constitutes a summary offense punishable by a fine of from $50 to $200. A violation of subsection (b) constitutes a summary offense punishable by a fine of from $200 to $500.
(Dec. 21, 1998, P.L.1126, No.151, eff. 60 days)
Funny I don't see any mention of special privilege to fire trucks?🤔
Had the truck been hit there would’ve been fatalities and numerous serious injuries. The crossing would’ve been blocked for at least several hours and the rest of the trucks behind would’ve been stuck. This is an 18 car passenger train that takes less than a minute to pass the crossing. The driver of that truck should be suspended pending investigation
No one remembers if u get there 30 seconds later. They will never forget if you don’t show up!
I love this. Definitely shows the dangers of what can happen when a railroad crossing is next to or near a firehouse.
The issue is with this town. Is that 70$ of your man power is on the other side of town where the trucks are coming from and the railroad is sending 2 to 5 trains a day through the town
@@nickstrackshot6287 right exactly. My area suffers the same problems where sometimes you can have 20 or so trains running per day even though there’s firehouses nearby.
I was five cars back in traffic when this happen. I'm glad no one was hurt.
You should be glad every time your driving 895,443,61 or 309 and these morons double park with no care to take photos of trains. Seen many close calls. A lot closer than the fire truck going to a fire. Not stopped taking stupid train pics
Even if he was llegaly allowed to do that it was a STUPID idea if you look at what could have happened.
If he got stuck then
1. His truck would be out of commission
2. Possible train derailemnt and risk of damaging a boiler
3. All crossings would be blocked making the others unable to get to the fire while also being tied up helping the hurt on the train
4. It took less than a minute for the train to pass the risk was almost not worth it
You were certainly in the right spot at the right time! Many will debate the situation ... because you got the shot. A super video catch.
Beautiful train.Reminds me of the old days.
That was crazy to hear about that, and when she was coming back through past hamburg I could hear her in shartlesville.
Shartlesville is such an unfortunate name for a town! :)
@@andrewdutton3831 It is, but it's actually kind of nice to drive through if you ignore what's been locally dubbed "The Amazon Raceway"
That truck was long gone before 2102 got there.
That was beyond dumb. Had the train actually hit that fire truck, it could’ve possibly derailed, and killed God only knows how many people in the passenger cars, let alone the engine crew. That’s the sort of idiotic thing that will get a person fired. (no pun intended)
Wow....I was chasing this train on Saturday. Wasn't aware this was happening in Tamaqua. That was a little too close. Hope nobody at the FD loses their job over this...but some remedial training/reminding of response safety might be in order.
How can you loose something you are not getting paid for in the first place??? Second, there was reports of trapped people in a fire two blocks from there. Luckily PD rescued them before fire department got on scene. With the amount of train traffic in Tamaqua on a normal day maybe there should be a notification to the rail road to stop traffic in the town for 30 minutes or so if there is a fire like this one.
A little to close?? LMAO. That's some funny shit right there. This was not even slightly close.
You were chasing a train as an adult, and you’re questions someone else’s judgement ??
@@chazman4461 but they didn’t inform the railroad to stop traffic, so a train was bearing down at 35mph with 1000 people onboard. People trapped in a building still does not excuse putting 1000 lives in danger.
@@chazman4461 I agree...I'm not sure how to "loose" something either, especially if it's tightened. But I think you could *lose* an opportunity to volunteer, staff, drive, operate, etc...regardless of whether you are getting paid to perform that duty. And it was a "little too close" as I originally stated. Guess you haven't seen enough grade crossing accident aftermaths to be sufficiently impressed by the potential for catastrophe here...
Being honest I thought people had learned from the incident with 425 hitting the car and the dude who almost got hit cause he didn’t pay attention
I know they’re responding to a emergency but you could have waited at least
dude. you can literally see the fire in the video, there is no waiting. they’re risking their lives to save others, not to wait for 2102 or any other locos
I was also in that car. That first fire truck risked a catastrophe by running the barrier when it was down.
huh? first of third?
What a bad mistake this would had been! If 2102 was going more faster, than this would been a bad accident. NO MATTER HOW DIRE THE EMERGENCY IS, YOU STILL HAVE TO STOP FOR TRAINS. So firefighters, STOP TRAINS CAN'T!
Stage 3 foamer disease
That 1 minute could’ve been a difference between life or death for someone else
@@mintyman1968 Yeah, well 2102 is irreplaceable. There are only 4 T1s left with the 2102 being the only operational one and 2100 is still being worked on. 2101 and 2124 are just static displays. Plus emergency response personnel along Reading & Northern territory need to understand that not only going around train tracks is never a good idea in the first place, but a steam locomotive can be a powerful bomb if the conditions are right in the event of a collision. So again if it's one minute or how long for an emergency, it's not worth beating a 12 million pound train. What would you rather do? Wait 2 to 5 minutes for a passenger train to go by and get to the emergency scene in one piece, or create another emergency by trying to outrun a train and also a possibility of a nasty steam locomotive boiler explosion? I would just STOP AND LET THE TRAIN PASS! IT'S THAT SIMPLE!
@@ns4270railfan You wouldn’t care about the 7 second gap between when the truck cleared the tracks and when the train rolled by if your house was burning down
@@mintyman1968 A house can be replaced more easily than a steam locomotive. Don't you know about trains? I guess you don't since you want to stick up for that damn fire truck that tried to beat a train. I don't care about fires. Trains are the best and when it comes to steam locomotives in the 21st century, they can't easily be replaced like a house. So, understand that trains are larger than fire trucks and they too need to stop for trains even when responding to an emergency. It's better to get to you scene in one piece rather than trying to beat a train and creating another emergency. GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEAD! I"M NOT GOING TO ARGUE ABOUT THIS ANYMORE.
What was the emergency. Obviously a fire. But what caused it. Does anyone have those details from this incident
What was on fire?
Thank you for sharing an amazing train video. Greetings Joe 😊
Very cool locomotive😉👍️✨Wonderful video :)
You can never judge how long a train will take to get to the crossing with a quick peak that the driver of the fire truck had. He risked many lives with that stupid move. I worked on the railroad as an engineer for many years. That driver broke the cardinal rule of risk. Many crossing accidents are a direct result of that exact action, not being able to judge the trains speed. What if the truck stalled or hesitated on acceleration? I sure hope that driver was reprimanded and not allowed to drive again.
What if there were victims trapped jn a burning building?
@@blockvfive1196 If that were the case, would you want more? That could happen had this gone poorly. Maybe not burning victims but you'd have more people you'd need to hospitalize.
@@SeanJAnimations its a dilemma, but i dont know what the call was the engine was responding to, if the call was mundane compared to the ladder i completely agree
@@blockvfive1196 Fair
Well not a close call for 2102 but not exactly a smooth move either. They're alot of people on that train and since steam is a rolling pressure vessel not worth the risk. Andy should consider double sided gates you can't sneak around in Tamaqua after viewing this!
Wow! The gates have a fire engine sized gap! The first truck most likely radioed the following trucks to wait for the train. Perfectly safe move by the firey’s. Train consist was huuuge!
Good morning, my name is Amy, and I am with 69 News. I was reaching out to see if you took this video and if so, I was looking to see if we could have permission to use this footage today. Thank you!
Hi Amy, yes the video is mine and you have my permission to use it. -Brian Jenkins
@@NS8366 Perfect thank you! Would you like for us to credit you? If so, who would you like for us to credit? Example: Brian Jenkins or Brian J etc.
@@NS8366 Thanks so much for giving us permission to use the video. I am also with 69 News. Would you be free to do a quick interview with us within the next couple of hours? If so, please email me at pliguori@wfmz.com. Thank you.
@@amystratton6408 yes a credit will be fine thank you
@@priscillaliguori6976 Hi Priscilla. Thank you for your interest, however I'd prefer not to do an interview at this time.
That poor engineer
I do not condone what the firetruck driver did, which was very risky and maybe even stupid, but whoever was driving is just as much a hero for making it across the track. Who knows what progress the fire would've made if they had to wait for that train. It would have been inconvenient, even if it was probably the right thing to do, and someone could've been killed or burnt in that time.
That was not anywhere near a close call.
As much as you want to be first due for something, this was a pretty stupid move. Say by some chance this truck had a mechanical issue, that train is not stopping. Not only would the truck be destroyed but it’s also a passenger train so you will most definitely have injuries. Can’t save any people or property if you don’t make it there
The road to hell is paved with good intentions!
No fire trucks were harmed in the making of this video
Did they hit? No. Should it have been done? Depends who you are. Either way, 7 seconds was plenty of time. Had 2102 been closer, like less than 3 seconds from clearing? Then it really wouldve been stupid. Its like making a left turn. I'm sure everyone here at one point as made a really close call with a left turn. Yes, this is a much bigger situation, but it doesn't matter. What matters is there was no collision.
Is that the train for the high bridge in Hometown?
Yes. It was on its way there.
Looks to me like the firetruck had plenty of time. He did the right thing at that moment
I completely disagree. We had 1000+ passengers on that consist. I'm sure you know the stopping distances of a 16-car passenger consist traveling at 30+ mph when the brakes are applied. Had the truck failed to cross in time for ANY reason the rest would be history. I was on that train. BAD judgement from truck driver.
@@bpp325 Coulda, shoulda, woulda. I'm glad that they did.
I’m gonna side with Bob P on this one. You never drive a motor vehicle around lowered crossing gates. The risk of a wreck are too great. Besides, first responders are supposed to lead by example. Seeing this might encourage others to do the same, and they might not be as lucky.
Personal story: I am a locomotive engineer. I have currently been out of work for just over two months after striking a vehicle at a crossing. I was operating the train at 30MPH, the motorist drove right in front of me. My train struck his rear driver’s side area, spun him around and killed him. This was the fourth person that has gotten killed by getting in the path of one of my trains. This shit is real. Do not put yourself in front of a fucking train. Don’t just take my testimony. There’s videos all over UA-cam of people that thought they’d be able to beat a train and didn’t. Most of the time, you will only have to wait at most, 45 seconds. Just fucking wait!
@@bpp325 LMAO!! enough said
the train can't stop, and the firetruck won't stop.
This crew needs their certs torn up for risking a mass casualty incident.
Anybody know what the laws are for emergency vehicles crossing the a Railroad? I mean if someone is in live threatening desperate need of emergency/Fire services, I can see why they would cross, but the fire truck is not going to be any good of its smashed by Thomas.
Emergency vehicles (police cars, fire trucks and ambulances) still have to yield to trains, even if they're responding to an emergency. This is generally a constant even in states where no official law exists on this subject.
This is certainly no Thomas. He's a small 0-6-0 tank engine. 2102 is a heavy Northern 4-8-4 that weighs over 400 tons (equal to 10 fully loaded big rigs) just by herself. She was pulling 18 cars at 35 mph.
The firefighters had to do what they had to do but if the train had been going faster their could’ve been a derailment
I was standing at the Tamaqua train station and saw this also. They were a little to close in my opinion.
Train vs firetruck, yeah, train is always winning, it has a whole lot more mass behind it
That was a little too close. I was in the 3rd car from the engine. Guy could have made that much worse pulling that move.
Come on!
Clearly NOT a close call. Obviously responding to a working fire.
7 seconds. That qualifies as an extremely close call.
@@JBS319 lmao.
100 percent the trains fault. should not have been crossing the street with fire trucks approaching.
Oh Dios Mio
He had lots of time. That train was nowhere near him as you people make it seem
The fact that there are comments on this video saying things like "Oh had the train hit the firetruck, they'd be risking 1000ish lives" is so ridiculous it's funny. A firetruck on average weights about 30-35, maybe 40 tons. While Reading #2102, by herself, is over 400 tons, NOT including the weight of the cars. This means #2102 is over 10 times heavier then the firetruck, give or take. Not a chance this train is going in the dirt had she hit the firetruck. "Oh if the train hit the edge of the firetruck it could derail". No. It would send the firetruck spinning like a broken boomerang.
Good on the men of Engine Co. 6510 being able to make it through before 2102 cut them off.
They put the lives of 1000 people at risk to save 55 seconds
@@JBS319 The engineer and officer of that pumper knew exactly what they were doing. Unlike you armchair battalion chiefs.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions!
So if the truck doesn’t go through and someone died…. Then the people would be like”. Truck should’ve went though to save those people”… can’t win with people today. If that was your loved one on the other side of the tracks in a fire… would you want them to go through safely like they did??
No time to wait when your responding to a working apartment building fire with confirmed entrapment
Only one truck made it through: everyone else had to wait. I was in the first coach of that train. Had the truck not made it across, I would’ve been seriously injured or killed. The driver should be expelled from the fire department.
@@JBS319 Yeah… but you weren’t … so get over it. Can’t live life on hypotheticals…otherwise you’ll just exist and not live.
Risk killing 850 people on a train to maybe save one person at a fire that already had first responders on scene?🤔
Who else was on scene besides PD and the ambulance lmfao must have been superman
@@nickstrackshot6287 So how many people were pulled from the Red devil that day Brian McCaffrey?🤔
LMAO!!
Big risk to take for the fireman. Shameful!
I'd wait for the train to pass next time. A big truck like that could have de railed the train with 500 people on it and destroyed half of the town.
No where near a close call
I’d say 7 seconds before the train is a very close call
@@JBS319you dont get out of your mommy's basment much do ya bud?
Trains shouldn't be running wide open through towns and residential areas they should slow the hell down too.
Tamaqua yard speed limit is 20mph during the day
Gee, you'd think the railroad and the town would be able to implement clear warning devices to warn motorists of oncoming trains...something like...I don't know, some sort of warning lights and a gate to keep motorists from driving onto the tracks... OH WAIT...
1) the railway was there first.
2) the train was operating at the authorized speed of the track and equipment
3) all warning lights and barriers were working properly
The track were there before the town was even created and trains can not stop as fast as a car.
The railroad was there first, dingus.