Ireland: couple survive 70mph level crossing crash

[John Ashworth]

Couple's amazing escape as train hits car at 70mph

Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Belfast Telegraph

A couple from Northern Ireland have spoken of the moment they “cheated death” and miraculously survived a train hitting their car on a level crossing in Galway.

Rachel McClean (19) and Ryan Jones (20) from Co Fermanagh had been on a weekend break in the Republic of Ireland when they dramatically escaped injury “by a few inches”.

The couple from Lisnaskea drove onto the level crossing in Murrough around midday on Monday when the train — travelling at 70miles per hour — hit their vehicle.

Mr Jones, who was driving at the time, said they had no idea it was a level crossing.

He said he spotted the train coming towards them a split second before Ms McClean did and immediately reversed the car.

“We weren't going very fast. To us, it just looked straight on because the gates had been left open. There was a stop sign and a sign on the left in Irish and one in English to the right.

“I stopped. I didn't even see that there were tracks there. I looked left and saw that, about ten metres away, there was a train right on top of us.

“I put it into reverse and got back about two inches, then bang, and there were bits of the car flying everywhere,” a shaken Ryan said yesterday.

“We were just looking for the scenery. We didn't even see the train or hear it. It was doing 115kmh or something like that. It was very, very scary.

“I dread to think what could have happened. I wouldn't have wanted to be any closer to it,” he said.

Rachel said that she had not even seen the train before it struck the car.

“We just jumped out of the car and looked. We couldn't believe it.

“I'm still very shaky and very scared and still very nervous of everything,” she said.

The car was struck by the Dublin train travelling to Galway at 70 miles per hour.

The front of the car was smashed but the couple from Lisnaskea, who are both students at the South West College in Omagh, were unharmed.

After the train smashed into the car the front tyre burst and it is believed that could have saved the couple, preventing them from being dragged in front of the train.

The engine at the front was also ripped off.

The couple were examined in hospital in Galway. Although they suffered from shock they were not hurt and discharged.

Rachel’s father Willie said his blood ran cold when he found out they had been in a car struck by a train.

He added it was an “absolute miracle they are still alive”.

“I got a text from my daughter on Monday to say their car had been hit by a train,” he said.

“My blood ran cold when I read this but I was very relieved when I read that they were ok. They cheated death by inches.”

Irish Rail said initial indications show the gates of the level crossing had been left open by a previous user.

The accident is being investigated by the Railway Accident Investigation Unit and Irish Rail.

Miracle couple shaken after level-crossing crash

By Brian McDonald
Irish Independent
Wednesday February 16 2011

THE young couple who cheated death when their car was struck by a train yesterday admitted that they did not even know that they had strayed on to a level crossing.

Student Ryan Jones (20) and his girlfriend Rachel McClean (19) walked away unscathed after their car was hit by the Dublin-Galway train travelling at 115kmh.

The couple had travelled from their homes in Co Fermanagh to Galway city for a Valentine's break.

Ryan was driving Rachel's car at about midday on Monday as they travelled down a small road which led to a dirt track and on to the level crossing at Murrough on the outskirts of the city.

"We weren't going very fast. To us, it just looked straight on because the gates had been left open. . . I didn't even see that there were tracks there. I looked left and saw that about 10 metres away there was a train right on top of us. I got back about two inches, then bang, and there were bits of the car flying everywhere," a shaken Ryan said yesterday.

Rachel said that she had not even seen the train before it struck the car.

"We just jumped out of the car and looked. We couldn't believe it. I'm still very shaky", she said.

Iarnrod Eireann spokesman Barry Kenny urged all users of levels crossing to be cautious and follow the directions as indicated.

- Brian McDonald

Irish Independent

Lucky escape for couple

Written by John Fallon
Galway Independent
Wednesday, 16 February 2011

A couple had a remarkable escape when a passenger train ploughed into their car at a level crossing. The couple miraculously walked away from the horrific smash, which happened on the outskirts of Galway city at noon on Monday. It is believed that the gates to the level crossing had been left open by the previous person to cross the track.

The accident happened at Murrough on the east of Galway as the 9.30am passenger train from Dublin was making its final approach to the city. The couple were driving on a minor road when they approached the unmanned crossing. The entrance and exit barriers were raised and the car began to make its way slowly through the crossing.

But, as the driver went slowly across the tracks, the train was approaching at speed. The driver tried to reverse, but the car was hit by the train. The train, which had 170 passengers on board, was unable to halt in time and hit the front of the car. The car was badly damaged as it was spun severely off the line. The train came to a halt further down the track. None of the passengers or crew on the train was injured.

The couple in the car were very shocked but walked away unscathed. All of the passengers were bussed into Galway as engineers began an initial assessment of the damage to the train. Train services from Dublin only operated as far as Athenry over the next three hours, but the line was re-opened by mid-afternoon.

Barry Kenny, Corporate Communications Manager with Iarnrod Eireann, said it was extremely fortunate nobody was injured in the incident and he said it highlighted the danger of level crossing gates being left open.

“It seems that the level crossing was left open by whoever had used it beforehand and the people in the car approached it with the barriers raised. The train struck the front of the car but, thank God, nobody was seriously injured.

“The incident goes to illustrate the importance for all users to be careful and follow instructions when raising the barriers at an unmanned crossing. This is not just for your own safety, but for the safety of all following users also. “Both sides have to be raised and then both sides have to be closed, but always when the line is checked first,” said Mr Kenny.

There are around 1,000 unmanned level crossings around the country where this procedure has to be followed by motorists and pedestrians. “It was very fortunate that everyone was able to walk away safely from this even,” Mr Kenny added. Iarnrod Eireann and the Railway Accident Investigations Unit are separately examining all the circumstances of the collision.