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State Rt. 2 Death May Spur Change: Trucker Struck Train at Crossing Not Marked With Lights or Gates

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 April 2006, 12:00 CDT

By Jim Sielicki, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

Apr. 12--PORT CLINTON - A fatal truck-train accident on a dark but busy section of State Rt. 2 may spur increased attention to the crossing's lack of signal lights and gates, state safety officials said yesterday.

Daniel Raymond Clore, 62, of Adrian died early yesterday when his tractor-trailer rig loaded with new cars struck a train near the entrance to Camp Perry at 1:11 a.m. and burst into flames, the Ohio Highway Patrol said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr. Clore was driving east when he passed two other trucks stopped in the right lane and struck the side of a Norfolk Southern Corp. train, which was backing south across the highway to switch tracks, said Lt. Greg Greggila of the patrol's Sandusky post.

The highway crossing is not marked with lights or gates, troopers said. The crash occurred near Camp Perry in Ottawa County.

The fatal accident on the four-lane highway may spur increased attention to the crossing's lack of lights and gates, said Stu Nicholson, spokesman for the Ohio Rail Development Commission, which helps communities fund rail-crossing safety improvements.

"I would say this would probably bump up [the priority] on the list," Mr. Nicholson said.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said that in 2003, the last year data were available, that section of State Rt. 2 was used by an average of 11,360 vehicles a day, although the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's traffic survey, based on local data collection, puts the traffic volume at 9,780 vehicles a day.

The collision derailed two rail hopper cars loaded with trash.

Norfolk Southern spokesman Robin Chapman said the truck hit the fifth and sixth cars from the engine. The conductor and brakeman were on the ground to switch tracks and the engineer was at the controls, he said. None was injured.

Norfolk Southern does not use a flagman to warn motorists that a train is approaching the crossing, Mr. Chapman said. The track spur, marked by crossbucks, connects Camp Perry's industrial park with the Norfolk Southern mainline to the south.

Shana Eiselstein, spokesman for the Public Utility Commission of Ohio, said the track is used by two or three trains a week.

Mr. Clore, a driver for URS Midwest Auto Transport, had a load of 2006 Mazdas from Michigan for delivery to a dealer in New Jersey, Lieutenant Greggila said.

A westbound truck driver told investigators he caught sight of a reflector on the train at the last minute and was able to stop short of the crossing.

The crossing is illuminated by an overhead traffic light, Lieutenant Greggila said.

"It's not a well-used crossing," he said. "We don't see a lot of trains there."

The only other accident on file for that crossing occurred on Nov. 29, 2004. No injuries were reported, Ms. Eiselstein said.

The PUCO's Ms. Eiselstein said the state has about 6,500 crossings, with the fatal crash site ranked at 1,104 in terms of safety hazards. Crossings at the top of the list, based on frequency of accidents, deaths or injuries, and other data, are given priority for safety improvements.

Ms. Eiselstein said the accident would likely move the crossing higher on the list, potentially making it eligible sooner for safety improvement.

Both lanes were closed to clear debris, causing a detour to nearby highways; the eastbound lane remained closed until 11 a.m.

Contact Jim Sielicki at: jsielicki@theblade.com or 419-724-6078.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

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Source: The Blade

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