File 2007.11: Norfolk Southern v. Crown Power

Case Type: Railroad Crossing Accident

Description:
A tractor trailer pulling a lowboy, carrying a bulldozer attempted to cross a set of railroad tracks, high centering the lowboy on the tracks. The driver called dispatch to let them know they needed assistance, but before anyone could be notified, a Norfolk Southern train approached but was unable to stop prior to impact.

Phase 1, Pre-Visualization, Measurement and Discovery:
Fearless Eye traveled to the site of the accident, took photos, measurements and video footage. A Norfolk Southern train was brought to the intersection and stopped at the point of collision, a tractor trailer carrying a similar bulldozer then pulled onto the tracks in front of the train and stopped at it's point of impact. Fearless Eye then boarded the train, set up video cameras at the engineer's view and focusing on the instrument panels. The train was then put into reverse and driven a mile backward down the tracks.

Phase 2, Visualizations Produced:
The video footage was then digitized into a computer, reversed so the train appeared to be moving forward, and the speed of the video was adjusted to match the actual speed of the accident train. The video made it clear that the engineer could not have seen the lowboy on the tracks in time to stop.