Amtrak Empire Builder #8 being flagged and a stupid semi!

They just recently put in the concrete road dividers at this crossing. Some semis have tried to turn here at this intersection. Well, one was not very successful today as he drove into the gate and bent it (you can see this in the video how it is sticking way at an angle). Amtrak Empire Builder #8 had just left the Winona, MN depot and had to stop and flag this crossing. Apparently, people do not know what that means. A semi comes flying around the corner and decides to just go across the tracks even with the conductor there! So she wrote his plate down. A few other cars were going to try to go as well and she was not having it. Good on her! When she went by us, she smiled and waved to us though. :) Also, note the private car...the Sierra Hotel.
AMTK 121 (P42DC)
AMTK 92 (P42DC)
Monday, July 7, 2008, 10:31am

***UPDATE***
I have since talked to the conductor and she informed me that the semi driver was prosecuted.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Amtrak
• AMTK
• Empire
• Builder
• #8
• 121
• 92
• P42DC
• passenger
• train
• Winona
• Minnesota
• horn
• crossing
• Sierra
• Hotel
• flagged
• conductor

[TheKwtrucker]

the semi had no fault in this he stopped at the stop sign turned the corner and saw that the train was stopped and the person with the flag and she got out his way and let him through because the train wasnt moving yet so he had his time to get across

[rockchickvw]

@TheKwtrucker Except that the semi did NOT have the right-of-way. There were other cars that did have the right-of-way that did stop to wait for the train. The semi had a stop sign.

[andrewhurricane]

We as railfans must band together to support the effort to restore Amtrak service between New Orleans and Orlando. The government cant simply let Amtrak "indefinitely suspend" this service forever! Let's do something about it. Contact your senators and/or Representative now. Don't let your voices be unheard!

[TheInamanica]

This woman never stops the truck or that red Grand Am. Plus she never once ever signals any of the traffic to stop. She doesn't know what she is doing at all.

[TheInamanica]

The truck driver is not at fault. Most people don't know what this woman is doing. If the gates are up and a train isn't moving people are going to drive across. Not everyone knows what that woman is doing. She isn't using hand signals at, just standing there. You railroad knobbers need to get over yourselves. And if you watched the whole video you notice the gates were working fine.

[YourNeighbor1000]

the foamers are defending the train and the conductor

That truck driver was probably confused and went ahead

Even though I know some stuff about trains, not everyone knows about train procedures

I'm pretty sure many people in America haven't seen a crossing flagged

I've still yet to see one to this day and I live in SEPTAland

[wendtsony]

She had a red flag in her hand and he didn't even slow him down!!! Does he drive the same way in construction zones? Everyone else seemed to get it, they stopped. Also, the train blew its horn three or four times!!! This guy would fail the commercial driving test in every state!

Ohh, and let's not forget why the gates weren't working in the first place, a trucker who has no place behind the wheel ran into them making an illegal turn!

[gt66vcd]

@bfs1888 And? The trucker is supposed to know that a dope just standing there has something to do with the train? She made no stopping gesture nor did she use her flag to indicate she was controlling traffic. I would bet that if he knew about this video, not only would he be cleared, she would have been reprimanded. 

[AmtrakKid1]

Driver: oh look, a train crossing I know I can't make it over but what the hell, I'll do it anyway. What's this? Someone with a red flag? Well, she isn't important. I'll just run her over!

[bfs1888]

she was standing right there, she had to move to get out of the way of the fucking truck,,,,,are you guys blind? the male truck driver saw a female who was more imprtant than he,,,,,the poor thang,,,,,that's the only reason he went thru. hope his wife divorced him after that lol

[Denvermorgan2000]

I can,,t see how the semi driver was stupid the gates were up she didnt ask him to stop nothing to see here.

[ev13wt]

What the fawk how complicated take a look at europes trains shits all automatic.