Rail crossing upgrades

[Nereus]

String of deadly train-car collisions spurs rail crossing upgrades

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... g-upgrades

Another day, another train-car collision. With nearly 600 unregulated railroad crossings in Thailand, accidents are becoming a near-daily occurrence. So after six people were killed and 21 seriously injured this week alone, the Transport Ministry announced it would take steps to upgrade safety at grade crossings across the country.

Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said at least 584 railway crossings were built throughout the kingdom by locals without coordination with the State Railway of Thailand. These unofficial crossings, likely not marked on SRT maps, increase the risk of trains hitting cars or people because locomotive engineers don't expect anyone to be crossing there.

There were no lights or barriers at the crossing where Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai train No 413 struck a Chai Nat-registered ten-wheeled truck in Khon Kaen's Muang district Thursday.

SRT spokeswoman Nuan-anong Wongchan said four people were killed, 20 serious hurt and 60 sustaining minor injuries in the 10.25am accident at an unmarked crossing at Ban Nong Kung in tambon Sila.

Killed were train engineers Phet Paendee and Damri Kosalarp, and passengers Narong Dejma and an unidentified Buddhist monk. Fourteen injured passengers were admitted to Srinakarin Hospital and six others to Khon Kaen Regional Hospital. About 60 others were treated at the scene.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred about 15 minutes out of Khon Kaen station as the train headed for Nong Khai. Train drivers saw the truck loaded with dirt start to cross the tracks and did not stop even after they blew the horn.

The accident follows a similar train-car collision on Tuesday in Phitsanulok province. Pakrasami Makradi, 35, of Phrom Phiram district was hurt when Den Chai-Bangkok train No 108 rammed her Honda City car at a grade crossing between the Phrom Phiram and Khwae Noi stations. She claimed her car stalled on the tracks.

Two others struck by a train a day earlier weren't as lucky. The couple died when a Bangkok-Hua Hin train smashed into their car at an unmarked crossing in Phetchaburi Monday. The car burst into flames in the accident between the Phetchaburi and Kao Tamone stations.

[PeteC]

....and the planners should be charged with homicide if the new high speed systems are not elevated with NO crossings at all.

Do I read the above article correctly where it says, "...at least 584 railway crossings were built throughout the kingdom by locals without coordination with the State Railway of Thailand. These unofficial crossings, likely not marked on SRT maps, increase the risk of trains hitting cars or people because locomotive engineers don't expect anyone to be crossing there...."

They can build all the crossing gates with bells and whistles they want. It won't register with many of these people and carnage will continue, as it does with intersections having gates now which get ignored.

I wouldn't take any rural train here if my life depended upon it.....and in reality my life probably depends upon not taking one! Enough, BP too high....again!

[STEVE G]

There's at least one unofficial crossing in Hua Hin, around about soi 20 odd, someone has put some old railway ties around the tracks and locals use it on motorbikes to cut through to the canal road.

[Lung Per]

There's at least one unofficial crossing in Hua Hin, around about soi 20 odd, someone has put some old railway ties around the tracks and locals use it on motorbikes to cut through to the canal road.

I gather someone was killed there recently.

[oakdale160]

In china not all the HST tracks are elevated BUT they are well fenced and the only crossings are bridges or tunnels.

[hhinner]

There's at least one unofficial crossing in Hua Hin, around about soi 20 odd, someone has put some old railway ties around the tracks and locals use it on motorbikes to cut through to the canal road.

There is/was also one at Hua Hin soi 34 (by the Ford dealer). I crossed there the other day and the SRT (presumably) had smashed the "crossing" slabs and added another bar to the fence to make it impossible to take a bike across. I was walking and that was a little harder too. It's a long way to go round when you're on foot and after weighing up the risks of crossing the railway (carefully) or getting a motorbike taxi (probably with a driver who's already been drinking) I know which I prefer.

A reliable song taew service along the khlong road would help, but there isn't one. But that's a different story.

Maybe the occasional foot bridge would be a good idea? It's a long way between official crossings at Soi 56 and Soi 10.

Must check out the Soi 20 odd crossing, though looking at a map I don't see where it could go on the west side of the track.

[moater]

There's an unofficial crossing *under* the railway around soi 46. Google calls it Thip Niyom Alley and actually shows it as if there's a proper crossing. Drive your motorbike/walk down this alley until you get to the railway, take a left to a narrow dirt trail and keep going on it and you'll soon go under the bridge (traffic directed via spray painted arrows on bridge sides ). Make sure to keep your head down, especially if not wearing your helmet, it's a tight fit!

It must be the safest crossing in hua hin

[hhinner]

Another one like that would be nice at soi 34. If you look at Google maps soi 34 looks like it crosses the railway as well but you'd be disappointed if you took your car up there. Or even your motorbike now.

[PeteC]

I really don't see any hope unless the enforcement structure ceases to exist and is reborn again properly. When this was sleepy Thailand 50 years ago, no problems making your own trail across railroad tracks where trains passed perhaps twice a week only. Times have changed, thinking hasn't apparently. It's just damn dangerous, and little to no thought about those on the trains who also die sometimes.

How many subjects do we have where people can say the same things concerning mentality and enforcement. It all drains a person to the point where you're just numb to any news about disasters.

[richard]

What's wrong with playing, shopping or living on the tracks?

[PeteC]

There's one of those in Saigon as well...or maybe Hanoi. Someone posted photos on here from a trip.

That place here is actually a million times safer than what we're talking about concerning crossings. It's controlled and organized, and has turned into a tourist attraction. I think GLC "the young guy" lives near that place? Pete

[Nereus]

SRT and local governments collide over crossing barriers

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... ver-safety

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is on a collision course with local governments over safety at road crossings following the deaths of seven people in two crashes in three days.

The Transport Ministry has been trying to convince local authorities to help the cash-strapped rail agency by allocating funds to install barriers at crossings in areas not covered by the ministry's spending programme.

The country has 2,457 road-railway crossings on the nationwide track network of 4,346 kilometres. Only 410 crossings have manned or automatic barriers, according to the SRT. Another 144 crossings are overpasses and 117 are underpasses.

Almost 1,800 crossings have no barriers at all, including the two in Phetchaburi and Khon Kaen provinces where the fatal collisions took place.

Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said on Thursday that the ministry had set aside 403 million baht to build 130 more barriers but that would not be enough given the number of dangerous crossings now.

ACM Prajin said on Friday that outside help was needed to fix the problems.
"[The Transport Ministry] might need financial support from local agencies to install more," he said.

That argument doesn't sit well with local administrators in Phetchaburi where a fatal collision took place.

The Tambon Ton Mamuang Administration Organisation says it's the duty of the SRT to ensure the safety of road users, and it shouldn't pass the burden to local administrators.

The TAO is consulting the Phetchaburi office of the Lawyers Council of Thailand about taking the case to the Administrative Court.

A couple from Narathiwat were killed instantly when their car was struck by a Hua Hin-bound train from Bangkok in the tambon on Tuesday. They were travelling to Puek Tian beach in neighbouring Tha Yang district before heading to Bangkok.

Two days later a train travelling to Nong Khai from Nakhon Ratchasima collided with a lorry an unmarked crossing in Muang district of Khon Kaen. An SRT driver and mechanic and three passengers were killed and 42 travellers were injured.

[Big Boy]

Rail fares are hideously low. Surely, if its lack of funding, they need to increase fares by a couple of Baht to generate the necessary revenue.

[Big Boy]

TIT - There's a Thai soap just starting on Channel 7, where part of the programme's opening shows the hero racing his car across a railway crossing, missing the oncoming train by inches, as if this is the way all macho Thais should drive.

[PeteC]

Well, the first step is awareness and I guess this is an effort in the right direction.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/multimedia/v ... -attendant