# Don't plan a parade route to cross railroad tracks **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 16, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192 "2012-11-16T15:09:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/1 "2012-11-16T15:09:25Z")
[Story here:](http://abcnews.go.com/US/midland-texas-train-crash-dead-train-hits-truck/story?id=17735939#.UKZWEofAfy0) > [@](#): > > Four people died and 17 others were injured when a freight train plowed into a parade float carrying wounded veterans at a crossing in Midland, Texas, turning a honorary event into a scene of destruction. To the idiots in Midland, Texas: If you’re planning a parade, don’t have it go across active train tracks, unless you coordinate with the railroad to make sure no trains are scheduled. This is a tragic disaster that could have easily been avoided. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/2 "2012-11-16T15:14:02Z")
It’s possible the crossing gates malfunctioned, which would pretty much make it not the parade organizers’ fault. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/3 "2012-11-16T15:15:56Z")
How is it the parade couldn’t have paused while the train went through? (Not a parade fan myself.) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/4 "2012-11-16T15:53:41Z")
Man, I had a witty response, blaming the whole thing on John Phillips Sousa, but then I read the article. Whoa. Tragic. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/5 "2012-11-16T15:58:25Z")
I want to know how no one saw a fucking train coming and shouted an alarm for everyone else to get out of the way! Not like the train can swerve or stop. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/6 "2012-11-16T16:06:12Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I want to know how no one saw a fucking train coming and shouted an alarm for everyone else to get out of the way! > > Not like the train can swerve or stop. There are many unanswered questions like this, and eventually we may have some good answers. It was said in one news article that the truck that got hit had made it partially across the tracks when the driver heard the train (whistle or whatever). He couldn’t pull forward because of the truck & flatbed in front of him. I think if I were that driver, I would have honked and tried to push the truck in front, even if I pushed him sideways. This would have been preferable to being hit by a train. But hindsight is all we have right now. There may have been no options available on short notice once the events unfolded that far. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/7 "2012-11-16T16:07:42Z")
I do think that holding the prayer vigil for those injured in this accident on the local airport runway is ill-conceived. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/8 "2012-11-16T16:09:24Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s possible the crossing gates malfunctioned, which would pretty much make it not the parade organizers’ fault. It’s a clear view in each direction for over two miles.(Checked in Google Earth and Streetview) How can you not see a train if you look first? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/9 "2012-11-16T16:14:12Z")
Clearly this is Obama’s fault. I don’t know how, but it just makes logical sense. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/10 "2012-11-16T16:14:24Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s possible the crossing gates malfunctioned, which would pretty much make it not the parade organizers’ fault. The first news report I heard stated that the lights and railins were confirmed to be properly functioning. It didn’t mention that this was in the middle of a parade\*, but it did tell us that. Someone’s not coming completely clean here. \*It did say thre flatbed was being used as a parade float, but not that it was currently in a parade. I assumed it was on the the way to or from the parade. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/11 "2012-11-16T16:17:57Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Clearly this is Obama’s fault. I don’t know how, but it just makes logical sense. John McCain just called a press-conference to blame this on Susan Rice. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/12 "2012-11-16T16:20:05Z")
It sounds like they forgot Rule 0 when crossing an intersection: don’t enter unless you have someplace to go to. I have a hard time not blaming the driver. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/13 "2012-11-16T16:20:44Z")
I wouldn’t say it was the parade organizer’s fault. It was the fault of the truck driver that put himself in the position of getting stuck on the tracks. He should have never started crossing if there wasn’t enough room on the other side to clear the tracks. Not to say that most people wouldn’t have made that mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/14 "2012-11-16T16:22:15Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > John McCain just called a press-conference to blame this on Susan Rice. Well, four people died. I know that number seems to get him upset. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/15 "2012-11-16T16:25:38Z")
> [@flight](#): > > I do think that holding the prayer vigil for those injured in this accident on the local airport runway is ill-conceived. Damn you. I laughed at that and now I’m going to hell. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/16 "2012-11-16T16:37:26Z")
You’ll have company. Save me a seat? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/17 "2012-11-16T16:39:35Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > Damn you. I laughed at that and now I’m going to hell. I’m reading it at work and trying not to snort too loudly. ETA: By the way, I’m planning on stealing that and using it everywhere today. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/18 "2012-11-16T16:43:54Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > John McCain just called a press-conference to blame this on Susan Rice. Directing a parade into the path of a moving train is… not optimal. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/19 "2012-11-16T16:49:05Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Clearly this is Obama’s fault. I don’t know how, but it just makes logical sense. He probably won’t even declare war on anybody. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192/20 "2012-11-16T17:01:53Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Directing a parade into the path of a moving train is… not optimal. Just a bump in the road, really. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-plan-a-parade-route-to-cross-railroad-tracks/641192.md?page=2)