Published: August 09, 2007 11:24 pm            

Two girls remain in critical condition after collision with train

Driver says she did not see or hear train

TERRE HAUTE — Two young Terre Haute girls remained in the critical-care unit of an Indianapolis hospital late Thursday after the van in which they were riding was hit by a 55-car train in southern Vigo County.

Madison Lee, 8, and Hannah Lee, 13, were in critical condition in Methodist Hospital, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Their sister, Cami Lee, 12, and their mother, Christie M. Lee, 33, were in fair condition.

Madison Lee was flown there via helicopter from Terre Haute Regional Hospital on Wednesday night for treatment for internal injuries.

Her two sisters and mother were later transferred to Methodist Hospital.

Christie Lee of Terre Haute was eastbound on Dallas Drive in the family’s 2007 Chrysler when she approached two sets of railroad tracks between Doberman and Singhurst streets.

According to an accident report, Christie Lee told sheriff’s deputies at the scene that she stopped at the stop sign just before the tracks and looked both north and south and did not see a train nor hear its whistle blow. She accelerated forward, proceeding to cross over the tracks when one of her daughters saw the train coming and shouted, “Mom!”

Christie Lee then stopped on the tracks and the northbound train, unable to stop, crashed into the middle area of the passenger side of the van, where Madison Lee sat wearing her seat belt.

A witness who was outside her home near the railroad crossing told authorities that she heard the train’s whistle blowing.

Engineer Daniel Carmichael reported that he began sounding the train’s whistle at the whistle post and blew it twice more as he approached the crossing but was unable to avoid hitting the van.

The vehicle was dragged 25 to 50 feet from the crossing during the collision.

Everyone in the van was wearing seat belts and no citations were issued.

Train employees Carmichael, 56, of Lyons and conductor Jedadiah Rockwood, 27, of Lewis, were not injured.

The train is owned by Indiana Rail Road Co. of Indianapolis. Company president Tom Hoback said Thursday of his employees, “I think that they’re probably pretty shook up about this.”

The train was traveling 30 mph, which is slower than usual because of hot weather, Hoback said.

The train was coming from Jasonville and traveling to Terre Haute.

The speed limit for trains traveling along this particular location is 40 mph, Hoback said.

Each train is equipped with a speedometer and speed-limit zones are enforced. Speed limits for traveling trains are determined primarily by the type of terrain, such as curves or hills, he said.

In this case, neither existed.

The crossing on each side of the road is marked on the road in white indicating the presence of tracks ahead. There is a stop sign, clearly visible.

A typical white railroad crossing sign in the shape of an X stands behind the stop sign, just before the tracks.

Another sign on the same pole cannot be read because of missing letters, but it once indicated that two sets of tracks exist, as they still do.

A third sign attached to the wooden pole displays the Indiana Rail Road Co.’s information on the bottom that directs people to call the company in case of stranded cars on the tracks.

Neither lights nor crossing arms exist there, but the tracks, atop the crest of a hill, are in clear view to approaching motorists.

The Indiana Rail Road Co. bought the railroad from Canadian Pacific in May 2006.

Hoback said Indiana Rail Road works with the Indiana Department of Transportation in reviewing railroad crossings when determining what warning and signaling devices should be installed at a particular crossing.

Hoback said INDOT is responsible for choosing the safety equipment at crossings.

Debbie Calder of INDOT said the department oversees state roads, U.S. highways and interstate roads and works with rail companies in determining what devices are sufficient for railroad crossings at those locations.

Calder said INDOT considers four elements in determining what equipment will be most efficient at railroad crossings: the average daily traffic count on the road; the number of trains per day; the speed of the trains at a particular location; and the crash history at a crossing.

She told the Tribune-Star that INDOT does not facilitate or oversee what safety equipment is installed at intersections of rails and county roads.

“The entity that owns the road must work with the railroad company to ensure the road and crossing are safe,” she said.

Vigo County engineer Jerry Netherlain of the county highway department said, “Railroads have to do the projects. All of that’s governed through the INDOT railroad division. They coordinate on this stuff. We really don’t have anything to do with [safety-crossing equipment]. We can request something to be looked at or for a project to be initiated, but it has to come through INDOT.”

Dallas Drive is a county road, so the Vigo County Highway Department oversees the road. However, it does not oversee what safety equipment is installed by rail companies at railway intersections on county roads to alert motorists and pedestrians of oncoming trains.

Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Meng said a similar incident occurred a few years ago at the Dallas Drive train crossings, but few accidents occur at that location.

Laura Followell can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or laura.followell@tribstar.com.

        

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