Vibe vs. Train
Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:08 pm
Another indication that the Vibe is a safe car to be in.http://www.chicagotribune.com/...o-hedQuote »Metra train hits car, but driver survivesBy Joseph SjostromTribune staff reporterPublished December 29, 2004A Chicago woman survived a crash with a train Tuesday morning in Riverside after steering her car onto railroad tracks, getting out of the car, then re-entering it as the train approached, according to police, railroad officials and witnesses."It was amazing that [Celsa Baez] survived. I've been here 20 years and I've never heard of anything like this," Riverside Assistant Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said.Police said Baez, 67, of the 1900 block of North Kedzie Avenue was extracted from the severely damaged car and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. Police said she was able to talk to rescue officials at the scene and later at Loyola. Hospital officials would not comment. Baez and witnesses told police she was driving south on Harlem Avenue approaching the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks when she tried to turn right into what she thought was a driveway. But it was a narrow space between a set of concrete barriers and the railroad crossing signal support, Weitzel said.Baez drove through the space and onto the railroad tracks, where her car became stuck, Weitzel said. Witnesses told police Baez got out of the car to observe the situation and noticed that a train was approaching. She got back into the car and attempted unsuccessfully to drive it off the tracks, Weitzel said.She told police she couldn't remember why she didn't get out of the car before the train hit it. The westbound Metra commuter train pushed Baez's Pontiac Vibe about 200 feet west of the intersection before coming to a stop, Weitzel said.He said the train was traveling about 50 m.p.h. when the engineer noticed the car on the tracks and managed to slow down before the impact. Weitzel said the train's speed at the time of impact was not known.The train was delayed about 15 minutes while emergency workers removed Baez from her car, said Metra spokesman Tom Miller. He said eastbound trains were delayed briefly by the incident, some for up to 10 minutes. Weitzel said Riverside has three sets of railroad tracks, on which cars have been hit by trains on occasion."It's usually a case of a car trying to drive around the lowered crossing gates," he said.As for Baez getting back in her car, Weitzel said an oncoming train usually looks like it's going slower than it actually is. He said the wisest course of action for anyone whose car is stuck on the tracks while a train approaches is: "Get as far way from the tracks as you can."Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune