4 escape before train crashes into car in Edmonds
EDMONDS, Wash. - Four people managed to escape from their car moments before it was struck by a train Saturday night in Edmonds, police said.
The drama unfolded at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday when the car, driven by a 24-year-old Seattle woman, left a wedding reception in the area with her three passengers, said Sgt. Mark Marsh of the Edmonds police.
The driver, who was unfamiliar with the area, inadvertently turned onto the railroad tracks in the area of West Dayton Street at Railroad Avenue.
The car became stuck on the tracks and was unable to move. At about this time the driver and her three passengers noticed a northbound train approaching.
All occupants of the car were able to jump out and away from car before the train smashed into it. The train pushed the car north along the tracks ending up at the Main Street crossing location.
No one was injured.
Police and an investigator with Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad arrived on scene to conduct an investigation. The driver was released at the scene with charges pending.
The drama unfolded at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday when the car, driven by a 24-year-old Seattle woman, left a wedding reception in the area with her three passengers, said Sgt. Mark Marsh of the Edmonds police.
The driver, who was unfamiliar with the area, inadvertently turned onto the railroad tracks in the area of West Dayton Street at Railroad Avenue.
The car became stuck on the tracks and was unable to move. At about this time the driver and her three passengers noticed a northbound train approaching.
All occupants of the car were able to jump out and away from car before the train smashed into it. The train pushed the car north along the tracks ending up at the Main Street crossing location.
No one was injured.
Police and an investigator with Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad arrived on scene to conduct an investigation. The driver was released at the scene with charges pending.
oh key word "on to" not "across" like most people. nevermind my other comment.
Auditioning for the next "Dumb Ways to Die" video?
Oh those railroad tracks.
 @mstipton she should sue the city if they are that bad, I thought tacoma was bad at 21st going down the hill east to pacific. Puyallup is like a set of moguls but passable. Kent on 212th are fixed sortof...
 @Crook Ofraud  @mstipton nah just learn how to drive
Get out of the car, move away from the tracks and toward the train. Â Look back and enjoy the show. Then say, I never did like that car.
I'll bet she won't be buying that cheap ARCO gas again.
 @Ankle Biter You couldn't pay me to put arco in my vehicles.
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@mhungry @Ankle Biter You both do realize Arco's gas comes from the same refineries that produce Shell, Chevron, etc's gas right? The only difference between them all is the brand specific additives they put in.
Hmmm... charges pending?
 @Tattooed_Angel I think there is a fairly stiff fine at least, and it may even cross over from civil into criminal when railroad tracks and not yielding to trains is involved.
It's definitely a worse charge financially and on your driving record than not yielding to other vehicles at intersections, etc.Â
If alcohol was involved one would think that the driver would have been arrested (not released at the scene) however if the cops didn't catch her behind the wheel could that explain her being released?
 @Tattooed_Angel That would be "physical control of a vehicle," rather than DUI. Same as if police came along and saw someone parked (hopefully not on railroad tracks...) and passed out behind the wheel.Â
 @Tattooed_Angel That's what I was thinking.
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If ever there was a time to use the "women drivers" line...
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Was she drunk? You have got to be really drunk AND a horrible driver to turn onto railroad tracks.Â
 @lakeview Actually, that particular crossing can be quite confusing, being immediately adjacent to an intersection that is also a bit confusing, and being approached from two directions via curved roadways. It is also an area of ongoing construction activity (aimed at double-tracking the rail line through Edmonds) and that activity adds more confusion. Additional to all this, the rail line immediately south of Dayton can be mistaken for an extension of Railroad Avenue on the north, and if one tries to enter that area (which is used as a staging area for the construction activity and in which trucks are usually parked along the pavement) it is extremely likely that one may become high-centered on the railroad tracks themselves and be unable to escape without assistance of a tow truck.
For a person from out of area who is not familiar with the Edmonds waterfront and the ongoing rail construction - and especially at night - it may take a very good driver with excellent vision NOT to turn accidentally onto the railroad tracks!
Especially if the driver is not paying attention.
 @lakeview That is a pretty ridiculous thing to say, even aside from the painfully unfunny attempt at a misogynist joke. I'm not familiar with the specific area she was in, but anyone who has driven off of the main byways in an industrial area (SoDo/Georgetown, parts of Ballard, etc.) knows that at night, if you are not familiar with an area, it can be VERY easy to make that mistake. Tons of rails, some of them old and out of use running down still-in-use streets but indistinguishable from current rail lines, low amount of street lighting, there are LOTS of ways that even someone sober and paying attention can still take a wrong turn and wind up on tracks.
 @Jolly They don't all have crossing gates, either, and some aren't even marked.Â
I don't think it's a question of being familiar with the area as much as a question of her paying attention to where she was going. And it sounds like she wasn't. At least she wasn't trying to beat it!
 @Zoso Since I am quite familiar with the area, the confusing approaches and markings, and the ongoing construction activity, I can say that you have to be bloody d....d careful NOT to take the turn onto the railroad tracks right there.
 @JLS1950 Well then I hope that's something the city might wanna start paying a little more attention to.
"The drama unfolded at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday when the car, driven by a 24-year-old Seattle woman, left a wedding reception in the area with her three passengers, said Sgt. Mark Marsh of the Edmonds police."
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Hmmmm, apparently after a few drinks, train tracks do resemble roads...
Yes, they do l.o.l.
I agree, if leaving a wedding reception, alcohol was likely involved. I can also see where a mistake might be made as the area is not very well lit at night. Glad they are all safe, that would have been a terrible tragedy!
at least they was smart enough to get out of the car.
Just left a wedding reception eh?Â
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No alcohol involved?
Should have let the teenager drive...
twixt cars and trains,
here's how to figger...
in case of a tie,
the engine's bigger!
@lazarus well played
Yes, driving onto railroad tracks is a common occurrence when in an unfamiliar area. A daily occurrence. Not even news. If I don't know the way, I just follow the train tracks and I'll eventually be home in the Kent Valley. Methinks that there be a wee bit more to this story and if I can put my detective hat on...
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Detective: So... you say you were at a wedding reception,eh? Hmmm. I don't suppose they were serving alcohol there?
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Oh, they were? Interesting..."
 @Getov Mylon There may have been alcohol in the mix, but I can tell you from many years' experience and especially due to current ongoing construction activity right there: that intersection is bloody confusing to anyone out of area and not familiar with it.
 @JLS1950 Confusing enough to drive along the train tracks until you get high-centered? That is then a pretty messed up intersection.