RailRoadFan.com

CSX managed to mangle a bike today in South Lyon according to a WHMI article. The man was alert and talking to police, but suffered significant injuries.

https://www.whmi.com/news/article/bicyc ... south-lyon

My name is Johnny Knoxville and this is "Jacka$$"

It said in the article that the train was only going 15 mph. Is there something to switch in that area, or is there a passing siding near by? I'm surprised that the train would be going that slow. The cyclist is fortunate. If that train was going track speed, he would probably have been a stain on the plow of the loco.

Seems to be a nominee for a Darwin Award. WOW!

trainjunkie47 wrote:It said in the article that the train was only going 15 mph. Is there something to switch in that area, or is there a passing siding near by? I'm surprised that the train would be going that slow. The cyclist is fortunate. If that train was going track speed, he would probably have been a stain on the plow of the loco.

I would guess they were in the siding, which is 20 mph max, getting ready to or already running around their train.

The photo shows a switch under the loco.

Which direction was the train heading in the photo? Is this is the back of the engine and the bicycle didn't make it out from under the engine instead of the front where the impact occurred?

That would only be the back of the engine if it was an engine running light.

I am thinking that the engines were running around. The switch and the siding are north of the crossing. It looks like the engines crossed the road, hitting the bike and dragging it to the switch. The other end of the bike would be where the frog is under the engine.

Here is an update on the 76 year old cyclist:
https://www.hometownlife.com/story/news ... 346778001/

The cyclist said he could not tell which direction the train was heading. Lights on, gates down it doesn't matter (don't cross!). But with a light engine move the engines would have crossed the road, stopped and then run back toward the switch to either reconnect to their train or run around cars they had left. The northbound signal for the switch (railroad westbound?) is south of the road crossing.

Google View:
https://goo.gl/maps/gCsN93qaXrq7GkXE7

There is a public bike/foot trail to the north next to the tracks that ends within the crossing (west of the eastbound crossing gate). It is an interesting crossing. The trail and the road to the south that turns west is a former railroad grade, so at some point in the past there would have been a diamond at this location.

justalurker66 wrote:There is a public bike/foot trail to the north next to the tracks that ends within the crossing (west of the eastbound crossing gate). It is an interesting crossing. The trail and the road to the south that turns west is a former railroad grade, so at some point in the past there would have been a diamond at this location.

Yes, there was a diamond where the Grand Trunk Jackson branch crossed the Pere Marquette. MichiganRailroads.com has a good description and photos on their South Lyon page. http://www.michiganrailroads.com/statio ... th-lyon-mi

Anyone ever been to Witch’s Hat Brewery?

https://www.witchshatbrewing.com/