This photo made the front page of my local paper today. Seems like a hell of a thing to do to your car! The driver was 75 years-old. Yes, was. Went around the crossing gate. The car was a 1979. Yes, was. Seems like you'd want the turbo model if you're going to attempt a stunt like that. I'm guessing that a guy who made it to 75 would have better sense than to try to beat the train. Maybe he was suffering from some mental degradation.

Years ago, I was witness to a train crossing accident when a driver went around the gates. That time, both occupants escaped without a scratch, but it was quite a scene. The car caught fire - flames were shooting high into the evening sky.

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Dave
1995 C280
1999 Triumph Daytona 955I - my speed fix.
1982 300TD - Gone, but not forgotten.

I hope he made it!!

On a ligher note, is it for sale?

About 55 years ago, when I was a kid, one of our neighbors was doing regular trips to her gynecological specialist because she and her husband had no children after 7 or 8 years of marriage. On the way home, distraught because the doctor had concluded that there was no hope, she crossed a RR track without looking either way, and her '41 Plymouth was totalled by a slow-moving switch engine, but she escaped with only serious bruises. In the next 10 years, they had 7 kids, and both she and the doctor have ever since attributed it to some internal "injury" that got things working the way they were supposed to.

TurboDiesel - Where's your heart man? The old guy died! But those tail light lenses look good. I'd like to find out what they did with that car. According to the newspaper report, the car is demolished on the driver's side.

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Dave
1995 C280
1999 Triumph Daytona 955I - my speed fix.
1982 300TD - Gone, but not forgotten.

You know what, that car does not look so bad after being hit by a train. The rear door opens, it looks like the rear tailgate will open as well as the front passenger door. I don't know how fast the train was moving, but I doubt any american cars' doors would open after that! The frame would look like a pretzel.

I'll bet the engine was still running after the accident, too.

True, the car did hold its shape very well considering what happened. I wonder how the guy died--from injuries or from being scared to death, literally.

-Joe

I know one thing he musta been blind to miss that big-ass train. Or did not see rather. Poor fella!

later,

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00' e430 167k
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91' 300d 2.5t 300k (sold to ecoofidaho)
79' 240d 177k (old yellow my avatar)
87' 300d 169k (junk but fast)
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85' 300dt 68k (one owner cream puff)
82' 240d 250k
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91' 190e 2.3 61k
88' 260e 140k

No no no, Joegolden. The guy drove AROUND the crossing gates. The poor fella would be the locomotive engineer who has to live with having killed the car driver, even though it wasn't the engineer's fault. Like I said in my initial post, it's hard to imagine a guy making it to 75 years old and not having enough sense to wait for a train. He must have been in some degraded mental or emotional state.

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Dave
1995 C280
1999 Triumph Daytona 955I - my speed fix.
1982 300TD - Gone, but not forgotten.

Who in their right mind would go around the damn crossing barrier? I don't mean to sound callous or unsympathetic, but it's hard to feel very sorry for someone who "asks for it" by making a stupid move like that.

At that age, he should know better. It's possible he was suffering from a mental condition (Alzheimer's, etc.).

That's unfortunate. Makes a very good argument for having people be re-tested periodically to keep one's driver's license, eh? I don't know why that is not done. It should be.

My prayers do go out to his family/friends, etc.


Mike

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1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
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1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
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1985 300TD
270,000 miles
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1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
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Perhaps it was deliberate.

Furthermore, how is it that someguy who is 75 is in such a hurry that he can't wait for the silly train to go by. Either it was deliberate or he's going to be nominated for the Darwin award.

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

He couldnt be in that much of a hurry, he was driving a non turbo wagon! LOL!

I'm appalled at the lack of compassion some of you have. After all, I'll bet it was low milage with no rust. I could use a piece of wood trim from the dash.

Seriously, this illustrates what I have been saying for years. It is just way too easy to get / keep a drivers license. I remember when I lived in Fla. years ago, some retired doctor ran down and killed three little kids on a side walk. Didn't even stop, said he thought he hit some "trash cans". Guy refused to show any remorse. The judge banned him from the state. Go figure.

I've been a proponent of "inspecting" drivers for a long tome.

Many states inspect cars that are the cause of 2% to 4% of the accidents yet don't require drivers that cause 96% to 98% of the accidents to pass any type of compentency test. The only requirement to renew their license is the ability to pay the fee.

Isn't that ridiculous?

I remember when I took my original driving test. The test course reminded me of a miniature golf course. Top speed was about 10 MPH. That's like testing an airplane at Wright brothers speed and certifying it for mach one.

P E H