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A female driver was killed when her car was struck by a train at the Ravenswood Avenue crossing in Menlo Park at abut 4:45 p.m. today, Caltrain and fire officials said.
The impact sent the car flying 40 feet across the intersection, they said.
All trains in both directions were halted after the southbound Caltrain No. 360 hit the car.
The driver, the lone occupant of the car, was stuck at the Ravenswood crossing where the car was hit, said Harold Schpelhouman, chief of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
Samtrans is accepting Caltrain tickets between Menlo Park and Palo Alto, and BART is accepting Caltrain tickets at Millbrae, Caltrain officials said.
About 400 people were on board the train and none were injured, Caltrain officials said.
The northbound track re-opened for service, Caltrain announced at 6:03 p.m. “Caltrain will be able to single track trains in both directions around the incident site while clean-up continues,” said Caltrain spokesperson Jayme Ackemann.
The crossing gate mechanism was destroyed and the train sustained “substantial damage,” she said. The train may need repair work before it can be moved out of the crossing. Chief Schapelhouman said.
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I saw the wreckage and was heartbroken. I feel very sorry for the woman who was injured and hope she recovers.
The Ravenswood crossing is the most dangerous of any train crossing I have ever encountered, with cars coming to abrupt stops just after crossing the tracks to turn left onto Alma. There is also a frequently used crosswalk at Alma/Ravenswood, causing traffic to come to an abrupt halt and backing up on the tracks. Crazy.
This is so horrible, and I completely agree with @Sad that the Ravenswood crossing is unbelievably dangerous. At minimum, there needs to be a no left turn sign posted at Alma Street, and I said as much in an email to the City Manager a couple of years ago, when I asked whether it would take a fatal accident at this crossing in order for changes to be made. Perhaps now our town government will take action to lessen the dangers to both cars and pedestrians at this extremely hazardous crossing. It’s truly heartbreaking that someone has lost their life in such an awful way.
The law is that you may not enter the train crossing UNTIL you have space to clear the crossing on the other side. Similarly it is against the law to stop on the train tracks at any time and for any reason.
“If you need to stop after crossing the tracks, wait until you can completely cross the tracks before proceeding. Make sure your vehicle clears the tracks before you stop.
Never stop on the railroad tracks. Remember that a train cannot stop quickly or swerve out of the way. If you are on the tracks, you risk injury or death.”
The design of the crossing is not the problem. The problem is that drivers do not understand and obey the law which is designed to protect them.
I bet if everyone followed that rule throughput on that road would not be adequate for rush our and cars would constantly back up into el Camino. It’s a very poorly designed intersection.
“The design of the crossing is not the problem. The problem is that drivers do not understand and obey the law which is designed to protect them.”
That is because usually they are riding the tail end of the car in front of them and not looking further ahead to anticipate what is coming ahead. If one does this they can see that traffic is stopping ahead and they will not be able to clear the tracks. In my experience and training the biggest problems are caused by drivers not “looking ahead.” That and following too close cause most accidents.
The stats will identify “unsafe speed” as a predominant cause, but that is due to how accidents are classified. If one is moving when one runs into the rear of a stopped car it is classified as due to “unsafe speed.” If the vehicle in front is moving at the time, no matter how slowly, it is classified as “following too close.”
Think about how many accidents are rear end that are classified as unsafe speed that the only difference is whether or not the car in front is moving or not. Bottom line, in my opinion, following too close is the primary cause regardless of whether the struck vehicle is moving or not. If someone is keeping a correct following distance, looking ahead and paying attention, accidents are reduced.
It’s unfortunate, but in my opinion, this accident was preventable if the driver was paying proper attention. It’s an awfully high price to pay for inattention.
@Peter Carpenter, I agree that no one should ever enter a set of train tracks until they’re sure there’s adequate space on the other side of the tracks, but I strongly disagree with your assertion that there’s nothing inherently dangerous about the Ravenswood crossing. The combination of a short distance between the El Camino intersection and the tracks, and cars turning left onto Alma/pedestrians crossing Ravenswood just on the other side of the tracks, creates multi-faceted and confusing traffic backups that can lead to someone inadvertently getting stuck on the tracks. It happened to a friend of mine a couple of years ago, and she’s a very careful driver who would never normally find herself in a dangerous situation like that. Level crossings are dangerous by their very nature, and this crossing is more hazardous than most, in my opinion and the opinion of many other people.
With a million square feet of development planned for our small segment of El Camino, not to mention the Med Center and mall expansion, we are going to be seeing more and more of these accidents. Since no one seems willing to spend the money to make that intersection safer by creating a grade separation, these deaths will become so frequent that the Almanac won’t even bother to cover them.
As Peter Carpenter and Menlo Voter indicated, this extremely unfortunate incident was totally and completely preventable. A vehicle should never cross the railroad tracks under any circumstances if they cannot guarantee that their vehicle will completely clear the crossing gates and the “keep clear” area. This requires absolute focus on one’s driving and looking further ahead than the vehicle immediately in front.
Peter, there is the law, and you’re right on that. But it IS a dangerous crossing. We just had another accident at the same crossing barely a month or two ago. I walk through this crossing twice a day, and drive through it almost as frequently, and it’s dangerous. Cars are turning right and left off of Ravenswood onto Alma. Drivers often have to stop abruptly for pedestrians crossing to the city hall complex. Drivers 2-3 cars behind might not see the pedestrian up ahead for whom cars suddenly stop short, finding themselves stuck on the tracks in traffic that had been flowing.
We have a number of school children and commuters crossing those tracks multiple times a day. If I’d have left to pick up my kids about ten minutes earlier, I might have been standing right where that vehicle ended up at the train crossing and would not be typing this right now. Without putting the train line below ground (or elevated), we’re going to face fatalities at this crossing again and again. We should do what we can to reduce the number of possible fatalities, and perhaps the intersection needs to change: no right or left turns coming from ECR onto Alma (there are detours people can use to get around where they need to go…yes, inconvenient, but it might save lives); perhaps install a traffic light at Alma/Ravenswood and Merrill/Ravenswood and coordinate traffic flow and pedestrian and vehicle crossing with the light at ECR and Ravenswood.
Maybe we need to just have traffic lights governing this intersection that operate during rush hour, when express trains hurl past frequently. Maybe we need fluorescent pavement markings alerting vehicles to the clearance zone. There’s got to be something we can do to make it a safer crossing.
Why not consider changes to the intersection? Or better yet, changes to the CALTRAIN/HSR corridor (submerging/elevating the tracks once they cross into MP, going all the way through to Redwood City). With some willpower (and a lot of $), we can build a much safer community.
My greatest sympathies to the woman who lost her life this evening, and to her family and friends.
Peter – at least the train operator is still alive to recount today’s horror.
Dumb MP City Public Works, does some minimal removal of pine root uplifting of EB Ravenswood pavement last year, but misses the “speed bump” caused by pine root in EB fast lane on Ravenswood just b4 you approach the tracks.
Makes it an obstacle course to course correct as you hit that bump in the road, only to have to contend with 4-6 pm illegal left turns at Alma/Ravenswood and pedestrian crosswalk traffic that backs traffic on the tracks.
So driver in EB fast lane hits the “pine root bump” then has to contend with the gauntlet at the R/R crossing, Alma and pedestrian/ cyclist crossing crapshoot.
I got stuck on the EB edge of the tracks yesterday EB while some idiot in front of me decided to give the right of way to a car turning left from WB Ravenswood to Alma:(, and I got stuck with someone on my tail sitting squarely on the tracks. Fortunately, no trains at that time on Sun. pm
City Council bears the responsibility for excacerbating this “fatal accident waiting to happen”
You can’t tell me that absolutely no City Councilperson noticed this “pine tree root speed bump” in the last month while driving to City Hall?
We have a serious vaccuum of pro active leadership at City Hall
A PI lawyers’ field day on city’s culpability.
“Peter – at least the train operator is still alive to recount today’s horror.”
Every day for the rest of their lives – and the train operator did nothing wrong.
Mike Keenly – we don’t actually know if it was preventable, do we? Do we know why her car was on the tracks?
I am so sorry for her, her loved ones, those who saw this and everyone on the train. It’s an utter tragedy.
@Peter Carpenter, of course we should have empathy for the train engineer; it must be incredibly traumatic to be involved in an accident like this. Perhaps you might also find it in your heart to have some empathy for the woman who died, not because she didn’t know how to drive, but because she made a mistake. I, personally, never enter a set of train tracks until I see space for my car on the other side of the tracks, but I can still have sympathy for someone who makes the mistake of following another car across the tracks and gets stuck. We all make mistakes (even you), and it’s tragic when someone pays for a mistake with their life. Can you not see past your pedantry to acknowledge that?
Peter – I never said that the train operator did anything wrong. You also don’t know if the victim did anything wrong.
“I got stuck on the EB edge of the tracks yesterday EB while some idiot in front of me decided to give the right of way to a car turning left from WB Ravenswood to Alma:”
That is simply because you enter the train crossing before ensuring that you space on the other side. The idiot was not in front of you.
What is not clear about this language:
“If you need to stop after crossing the tracks, wait until you can completely cross the tracks before proceeding. Make sure your vehicle clears the tracks before you stop.
Never stop on the railroad tracks. Remember that a train cannot stop quickly or swerve out of the way. If you are on the tracks, you risk injury or death.”
Peter, we do care about the train operator, and the passengers. But we also care about the person who lost their life today because of a split second of bad judgement. Accidents have happened before at this intersection. It will happen again. We should do our best to minimize the possibility of there being another fatal accident at this intersection, and there’s plenty of things we could change to make it safer. At least we should give it a thought.
I find the lack of any sympathy expressed by some of the posters here for a life lost, and the unwillingness to consider that perhaps we should re-examine the safety of this crossing…from someone who serves on the board of directors for the fire district, no less, completely heartless.
“Why not consider changes to the intersection? Or better yet, changes to the CALTRAIN/HSR corridor (submerging/elevating the tracks once they cross into MP, going all the way through to Redwood City).”
I absolutely agree. And this will only happen if the citizens demand it.
ps, PC, the driver in front was proceeding at safe normal speed over the tracks and then slammed on their brakes just east of the tracks to allow a left turning vehicle from Ravenswood to Alma after the pedestrian crossing lights went off.
The pine tree speed bump caused me to course correct in the EB fast lane assuming the idiot in front would prudently proceed thru the Ravenswood Alma intersection without stupidly yielding to a left turning car.
Easy for you to judge when you don’t appreciate the obstacle course created by City of MP negligence
Peter – again – you don’t know why the car was stopped on the tracks. Or do you, and you’re not telling us?
I agree with Mr. Carpenter with one exception.
On more than one occasion I have left enough room ahead of me to ensure a safe transition through the junction only to have an inconsiderate driver (I have other words not suitable for print) abruptly pull into my (usually right-hand) lane in order to make the right-hand turn onto Alma Southbound or to pass a car turning left onto Alma Northbound. The lanes from ECR to the Crosswalk should be so marked that it is illegal AT ALL TIMES to cross them regardless of the reason. So if you are in the left-hand lane, YOU MUST continue on straight (ie. NO TURNS whatsoever, left or right. Only cars in the right-hand lane can make a right hand turn onto Alma South. Also the Cross Walk is (in my opinion) too close to the junction, it could be relocated closer to Noel Drive to lower the accident risk.
Whatever improvements are made it is critical to have routine enforcement of the law (at best sporadic at present due to the low number of assigned Traffic Officers in MP). Even foot patrols could spot the constant dangerous driving in this area, that goes on every day, particularly in the 4-6 pm window when left-turns/straight crossing are prohibited from Alma. There is ample room on Ravenswood Ave to stop and educate drivers.
Police Chief and City of Menlo Park, please reconfigure this hazardous junction. One fatality is one too many.
Sincere sympathy to the deceased. RIP.
“Please have the courtesy to read my postings before making such an unfounded statement:”
Sorry Peter, you posted that last bit while I was typing that message. Can’t update the page while typing a new post, can I? I’m glad you show some sympathy now, but your first few posts on this topic sure did not. You should have come out of the gate with such sympathy rather than flaunting your driver’s ed lessons.
The train tracks are not in the middle of a rural area with visibility for miles in each direction. Instead, there’s a lot going on. Cars waiting on Alma (Which has no light) trying to take advantage of split-second traffic breaks, bicyclists in the street and on the sidewalk, peds in the crosswalk as well as jaywalkers– many of whom seem to think it’s a great idea to cross at the tracks. When you’re heading eastbound, the lanes narrow from two to one after you cross the tracks, so drivers are jockeying for position. Westbound, the lanes suddenly expand from one to two to four, and confused drivers start switching lanes to make sure they’re in the correct one.
In summary: it’s sensory overload.And people who are not familiar with the area, or who aren’t brilliant or perfect enough to avoid making occasional mistakes may find themselves stuck on the tracks. In fact, drivers have occasionally turned directly onto the tracks due to fuzzy instructions from their GPS!
Let’s stop blaming the victims. Grade sep is long overdue, and most residents would prefer putting the train underground. It’s only going to get more expensive, and with the level of development happening here, grade sep has become increasingly imperative.
@Peter
There are many situations where governments spend money to prevent people from making mistakes — or breaking the law. The crossing gates are an example. They cost money to erect and maintain … and for the most part do a good job of preventing death.
Why would you oppose improving the safety at a railroad crossing? Instead you dismiss the deceased person as stupid. What if their car stalled long before the gates dropped and they became confused and frustrated until it was too late with a baby bullet traveling at 70MPH? You may think you have the facts, but all you have is photographs and a bunch of assumptions.
I’m baffled. You generally advocate big government stepping in to protect the common folk. Why is this so different? I mean, with fire sprinklers, you are passionate about a huge one time expense and a not insignificant ongoing maintenance and water connection cost for a system that will likely never be used.
Why, then, do you dismiss the idea of engineering improvements here? A no turn sign (really low cost)? A raised concrete curb to prevent turns? Signal synchronization to clear traffic when the crossing arms activate?
Seems to me that it’s worth a look, particularly when you consider it may cost less than fire sprinklers and have a much higher chance of a return on investment!
“Why, then, do you dismiss the idea of engineering improvements here? A no turn sign (really low cost)? A raised concrete curb to prevent turns? Signal synchronization to clear traffic when the crossing arms activate? ”
I don’t.
Why do you presume I did?
I stated “I absolutely agree. And this will only happen if the citizens demand it.”
The only way for “big government” to fix this problem is to put in grade separations at all crossings. It is the only thing that prevents less than competent drivers from putting themselves into bad positions. Until the entire city demands it, it won’t happen. San Carlos managed it, why?
Peter – It was a horrible scene, all around. Absolutely no doubt about that. I happened to be there soon after (I was walking toward it as the ambulance turned in), as I posted earlier, and I am sure glad emergency services were out in force to control the situation, divert traffic, etc. I can’t imagine what was going through their minds, but I am thankful for their training in being able to handle the situation (and for the mental health services I hope they receive to help them in coping/recovering from such tragedies). I looked at the faces of the first responders. I did think about what they were going through. I looked at the train further down the tracks and thought about what the engineer and passengers were going through. I’m not saying nobody but the driver deserves sympathy. I’m just saying at least can we think about ways to make this intersection safer, and not just say “it’s safe, as long as you follow the rules of the road”? Some intersections are reasonably safe crossings. This one really is not. Can’t people recognize that and isn’t a few hard thinking sessions from a few key leaders and civil engineers on this worth it to save the life of the next person who might otherwise die there?
@Peter
Because you said:
* The design of the crossing is not the problem. The problem is that drivers do not understand and obey the law which is designed to protect them
And, then said:
* The standard of getting a driver’s license is that you understand the rules. If a driver cannot longer deal with the “confusion” of not entering the rail crossing until there is available space on the other side then it is time to quit driving.
* The facts speak for themselves. The car was stopped on the train crossing – why is it not clear that stopping on the train tracks is both illegal and stupid? I regret the death but don’t wish to sweep under the rug that the driver was at fault unless a following vehicle literally pushed the car in front of the train
* You have lots of excuses but the fact remains that you failed to ensure that the train crossing and a space across it were clear before you entered it. That is both illegal and stupid.
Was sad to hear about the young woman losing her life. Condolences to the family.
This crossing is no more dangerous than any other. I don’t know the circumstances in this situation, but all to often I see people who seem to think they will save some measurable amount of time, and instead of waiting just have to sit partially or completely on the tracks. If people paid attention to traffic they would know when it is safe to stop or proceed across the tracks. You can clearly see when pedestrians are crossing, if traffic is flowing, etc.
Drop your phones, put down your coffee cups and do what you should be doing behind the wheel. Driving.
Stay safe
A few points. I am amused how one commentor jumps back on the anti development bandwagon for this totally unrelated tragic issue. That point to me lacks validity and relevance.
The real issue is traffic safety and whether this intersection is inherently unsafe. I recall that this intersection is posted no left turn until 6 pm. So was that the real issue? Was the crosswalk being used the causation? We may never know why the young woman stopped and was trapped on the tracks. Perhaps her car stalled. The tragedy is the loss of such a young woman, who could have been someone’s daughter, wife or mother. I also have concerns about how the high speed rail, if and when that comes, will deal with this similar intersections and crossings. Those with the decision making power need to heed this event as a warning to avoid future such catastrophes.
@Pontifex Maximus – did you mean humility or humanity? or both?
There is only one way to 100% guarantee there is space to completely cross the tracks, and that’s to occupy that space, but you can’t occupy it until you cross, and until you cross, the space has the potential to become blocked.It would be more fruitful to work on improving the intersection and crossing and to reduce traffic backups, especially unpredictable backups due to people making turns and pedestrian crossing.
I stipulate that:
1 – No one can bring back the person who was killed
2 – That this tragedy had a great impact on the train engineer
3 – That this tragedy had a great impact on the responders
4 – That all I can do is to remind drivers how to avoid being another tragedy and to encourage other citizens to demand grade separation.
Feel free to attack me if you can bring the victim back to life.
Here is the Fire Chief’s statement on the incident:
“A southbound train struck a west bound passenger vehicle at the Ravenswood crossing after 4 pm today.
The Menlo Park Fire District responded two engines, a ladder truck and Battalion Chief. The first in unit reported a woman pinned in the vehicle that had been knocked across the intersection some 40 feet coming to rest on a crossing box and pole.
Firefighters extracted a female patient who was rushed to Stanford Hospital by Fire Paramedics. Despite everyone’s best efforts she was pronounced deceased at the Emergency Room. A child seat was found in the vehicle but it was determined to be unoccupied.
Rail traffic in both directions was stopped while firefighter secured the vehicle and extracted the patient. The passenger train came to a stop about a quarter mile down the track. No one on the train was injured.
Fire Chief Schapelhouman said “this is a terrible tragedy, we don’t know exactly what happened but trains can’t swerve and if you get caught on the railroad tracks it can be disastrous as we have seen tonight. Our hearts go out to this victim and her family”.
The Menlo Park Police Department and Sheriffs Deputies assigned to Cal-Train will be conducting an investigation into the incident and have taken over the scene and investigation.”
Here’s where I come from: Sunnyvale CalTrain-er, longtime road-tripper, motorcyclist, rules-of-the-road highly aware — and today whose usual 1-hr commute from SF turned into a 4-1/2-hr ordeal: The driver probably *did* make a judgment error, as we all do. The intersection probably *is* confusing and backs up far more quickly now than when it was designed decades ago. So, when a common judgment error is made in an uncommon intersection, then what? We issue a ticket to the driver? No, the stakes are far higher with CalTrain. It means that the intersection needs to be re-vamped. I’m the first to complain about lousy drivers, they’re all over the place, but so what, that is not the answer to vehicle-strikes on CalTrain.
Hmmm, the investigation will certainly provide more details into the sequence of events that led to this unfortunate incident. It’s terrible that someone had to lose their life due to a split-second mistake.
Drivers must give the railroad tracks the respect it deserves at all times. We can’t blame the crosswalk, bumps in the road, left turners, right turners, cyclists, weather, or the City Council for our driving decisions.
Having frequently been in a position of responsibility when people were killed I have always felt my first responsibility was to do whatever I could to prevent a recurrence. In this case the quickest remedy is to remind drivers of their responsibility NOT to stop on a train crossing. After that we can collectively decide how much to invest in structural solutions.
Feel very free to attack me IF you can somehow bring the deceased back to life.
Peter:
You are presenting a false dichotomy. We are all well aware that no one can resurrect the dead – and gosh, I think we all knew that even before you informed us repeatedly of that fact! Guess what? That has nothing to do with a critique of your comments. You chose to “remind drivers of their responsibility NOT to stop on a train crossing” in the most obnoxious way possible. Your tone is counterproductive. It is denigrating. It stifles an exchange of ideas.
@Mr. Recycle, I meant humility, which keeps our humanity intact. I hope Peter C. rediscovers his. And that is all I have to say on the matter.
Mike Keenly – we don’t know why she was on the tracks.
Our hearts go out to the lady who lost her life this evening, and to her family. Does it matter to her or her family whether she was at fault or not, now that she’s gone? For heaven’s sake.
What I find more tragic still, and petty and heartless to say the least, are not only the tenor but insistent number of defensive comments by P. Carpenter on this thread regarding this incident. He’s hunted down every single comment and ensured yet another reply.
Anyone with this level of condescension in the face of a human being whose life was cut short so needlessly and so suddenly, does not deserve the replies of any more of us. Or the post of any public agency.
As someone who saw the debris from the impact explode into the air I want to say how proud I was of all the individuals who ran to the scene and tried to assist the driver without regard to their own safety. They were there before the police and before the fire department and were doing their best to assist. Think of them. Their selfless spirit was an inspiration especially in light of the petty bickering into which this conversation has degenerated.
I am so sorry for the young woman who lost her life today, and for her family. This is a tragedy regardless of exactly what happened. Peter Carpenter you are an embarrassment, completely heartless and you need to get off your high horse. That whole intersection is a mess, I cross it by foot and in the car several times a day and it’s dangerous. May this woman rest in peace.
I am heartbroken for this woman’s family.
I frequent this intersection and, not long ago, was nearly caught on the tracks even after following the letter of the law.
Heading toward downtown on Ravenswood, traffic came to a stop at El Camino. I stopped on the library side of the tracks, waited for a car-length’s space to clear ahead of me on the other side, and began to cross.
Halfway across the tracks, the car in the lane to the left of me saw the open space that I had left and seized the opportunity to grab it in an attempt to move from the far left lane to the far right turn lane onto El Camino. Traffic ahead stopped.
I was stuck, halfway across the tracks with my 2 kids in the back seat.
The crossing gates signaled and I frantically honked my horn and simultaneously attempted to make a split-second, panicked plan for unbuckling both of my kids from their carseats and leaving our car on the tracks.
Fortunately an alert driver ahead noticed what was happening and turned onto the street behind Barrone, opening just enough space for the car ahead of me to move and for my car to clear the crossing.
This all happened within a matter of seconds.
I was lucky enough that the train that triggered the gates was a Southbound train that was stopping at the station; had it been a bullet, there is *absolutely* no way that I could have gotten both of our kids unbuckled, out of the back seat and off the tracks in time.
“If you need to stop after crossing the tracks, wait until you can completely cross the tracks before proceeding…[and cross your fingers that another driver doesn’t take the full car length space that you’ve left open in the meantime].”
I don’t think we should continue to try to prevent people from making bad choices or going against common sense. As tragic as it is, this society has become one where the first question is “why didn’t you make it safer?” Instead, I fully believe that everyone should be taught the dangers of making a fatal mistake. The question should be, “why wasn’t she aware that it was dangerous to be there in the first place?” followed by, “if she was, why didn’t she just wait where it was safe?”
We need to actively teach the dangers of recklessness and irresponsible behavior and point out that some have fatal consequences. This incident, as are those before it, should be first a reminder of the dangers of making a bad decision.
Sure, we can make it safer. We can build and arm that moves the car to avoid trains hitting it. But when that fails, people will first blame that the arm malfunction, why wasn’t it made better? The only way to insure no one drives onto the train tracks is to have it such that the cars never cross tracks.
But that’s not the solution to the root of the problem. That is a solution to avoid the problem and, ideally, that should be done already. But until the tracks and roads don’t intersect, we still have a problem. The root of the problem is that people, for whatever reason, ignore safety and put themselves on the tracks in front of the train. We are not talking about anyone pushed onto the tracks or place there by some malicious intent, this is people voluntarily putting themselves in harm’s way.
To solve any problem, you have to solve it at the root. A crack in a dam causing it to leak isn’t going to be fixed by taping the crack shut.
Preventing – do you know if the young woman killed today put herself on the tracks deliberately, or got pushed onto the tracks some other way?
Today’s death was a horrible tragedy. It’s far from the first one at that crossing, and it won’t be the last.
That’s just how it is in Menlo Park. Live here long enough and you become accustomed to it. If you’re anywhere near the tracks when someone gets killed, you’ll remember the details forever.
One afternoon I was driving home from the dentist when I got stopped by a train at Ravenswood Avenue. Some poor soul jumped and the train came to a stop blocking the crossing.
On a June morning in 1990 I was on the way to Cafe Borrone when a woman running to catch a train somehow got sucked under and was killed near Ravenswood Avenue.
Two people I went to school with died on the tracks in Menlo Park. Both deaths occurred more than 35 years ago, yet I remember like it was yesterday. Some of you probably know their names.
In fact, the first train vs. person incident I can remember occurred at Ravenswood Avenue in the 1960s. I was 5- or 6-years-old and the victim was a cashier at Menlo Square Market, which was located at Alma and Ravenswood. I never saw the cashier again, but I can still picture her at the cash register with her jet black hair and blue smock.
There are others, but you get the idea. Death on the tracks is a constant in Menlo Park.
Separating the tracks from the road with an underpass or overpass would go a long way toward stopping the carnage. It won’t stop somebody hellbent from suicide, but it would prevent collisions like the one that killed a woman today.
There has been on and off talk of “fixing” Ravenswood Avenue since before Mike Bedwell was city manager. Yet nothing ever changes.
For me, it all boils down to one simple question: How many more people have to die at Ravenswood Avenue before Menlo Park gets serious about ending the carnage?
One thing I can guarantee as certain as the sun rising tomorrow, is that until something is done to fix Ravenswood, more people will die there.
That’s just how it is in Menlo Park.
Hmmm, no other vehicle was behind the one that the train hit. No one pushed this vehicle onto the tracks. The vehicle was already way past the crossing gate. This is from an eyewitness account of the incident.
I have had a similar experience to Menlo Mom. I always wait to cross the tracks to make sure there is room on the other side before starting across. Once I had someone change lanes into my lane from the left lane as my car was over the tracks. I did use my horn to signal that this was a problem.
I was very lucky that no train was coming at that time.
My deep condolences for the family of the woman who died, and for the folks on the train.
Grade separations at Ravenswood are long overdue.
To those of you who are offended by my postings, let me explain. There will come a time for remembrances for the woman who died and we will learn more about what happened but what can be done NOW to prevent another tragedy.
It is sad this woman lost her life.
It is also sad that the train engineer involved with life with the memories of this forever.
And it is sad that the first responders had deal with the carnage.
So what can be done NOW to prevent the exact same tragedy happening today?
Follow the law:
“If you need to stop after crossing the tracks, wait until you can completely cross the tracks before proceeding. Make sure your vehicle clears the tracks before you stop.
Never stop on the railroad tracks. Remember that a train cannot stop quickly or swerve out of the way. If you are on the tracks, you risk injury or death.”
What can be done to eliminate the possibility of such tragedies in the future?
A separated grade crossing – which will take years to approve and cost millions of dollars.
Um, PC, glad to see you are softening your stance toward us mere mortals (you yourself can raise the dead, I hear) but did you somehow overlook the comments from people who cite their own experiences in which they carefully waited for an open space only to see another car switch lanes and crowd them out as they were crossing the tracks?
Yes, it will take a lot of time and money to do a grade sep, which long term is the only solution, but there are steps that can be taken NOW to promote safety, for example, not allowing people to switch lanes or making southbound Alma one way going south.
Given the infant seat in the car, I wonder if this woman was racing to pick up a child before a 5 pm deadline. A tragedy all around.
First my condolences to this woman’s surviving family. As some have boldly mentioned, our traffic laws were created to protect the safety of the motorist and others. The RR Crossing has lights and guard rails were designed to provide a safety mechanism to prevent personal injury. Yes, our roads are more crowded than ever before, Yes this RR crossing is dangerous, as all RR crossing are. However, what is absent from this discussion is ‘COMMON SENSE’ and ‘PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTY’.
I ride Cal Trains back and forth from SJ to SF every day. Last night when we waited over four long hours to clear this accident we all agreed that we were lucky to be safe. You see as a cyclist we are relegated to the front cars on the train. Unlike the engine which weighs over 75 tons, the passenger car that leads forward (the engine pushes rather than pulls) during our trip to SF is unprotected. It doesn’t even have a bumper, just a latched door. The cyclist sit in the extreme forward section of this car. Just think what would have happened if this passenger car was leading when this accident occurred? Think of all the innocent people it could have injured or killed, because of this ‘poor woman’ not using her common sense. In closing, I am grateful that this scenario never occurred. As for this woman’s fate it was her poor decision not the city’s. I hope this doesn’t stifle your exchange of ideas, but makes you realize that people’s poor decisions can be detrimental to those who practice common sense and personal responsibility.
So now Peter Carpenter is deciding when we get to mourn this tragedy, whom, exactly we are to mourn – it must include the train operator and first responders, not just the deceased – and when we get to clinically discuss driving safety. Who elected him Emperor of Public Safety?