Four die as train hits US parade float in Texas

[27vet]

Sad news from the USA. If the gates and lights were working, it means they could not have been activated, otherwise how could the floats cross the line?

RIP and condolences.

Four people have been killed and 17 others injured after a freight train in Texas hit a parade float on its way to an event honouring wounded veterans.

Officials in the city of Midland say the crash happened at a Union Pacific railroad crossing at about 16:30 local time (22:30 GMT) on Thursday.

Ten of those injured are in a critical condition.

The float, carrying US veterans and their wives, was on its way to the Hunt for Heroes banquet.

The veterans were then going to participate in an all-weekend hunting trip..
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Spokesman Tom Lange said their preliminary investigation indicates the crossing gate and lights were working at the time, though he said he did not know if the train crew had seen the float approaching.

BBC News

[pre65]

It seems the float that was hit could not move because the one in front of it had stopped.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20351941

[27vet]

A dangerous/terrifying situation to be in, they obviously couldn't go forward or backwards, and trains take several hundred yards to stop so flagging it down would have been useless.

[Master Cutler]

Especially sad when taking into account the loco driver's perspective due to his inability to respond to the situation due to the momentum of his train.

[27vet]

He's probably having all sorts of nightmares and flashbacks.

[Silver Fox Phil]

Very sad, my deepest sympathy for the driver and of course the families.
Regards
Phil

[Ploughman]

I think the driver was one of the casualties.

[Semaphore Sam]

You have to be careful here...in America, the 'driver' would be the operator of the 'lorry', or flatbed...the 'railroad driver' is the 'Engineer', in the States. I don't know if the 'Engineer', or the 'lorry driver', were hurt...all the fatalities were soldiers on the back of the flatbed 'lorry', or 'truck'. The fault is, in all probability, with the 'lorry driver', as he did not assure there was space ahead across the level crossing before venturing onto the tracks, thus getting trapped as the gates and bells activated. A quite common error. Sam

[Master Cutler]

My response was to include the locomotive "Engineer" in our sympathies as well as all of the other casualties.
When there is no means to arrest the momentum of your train to avoid such a catastrophe, my sincere feelings go out to all concerned.