Gilchrest Road crossing accident
Encyclopedia
The Gilchrest Road crossing accident was a level crossing
accident that occurred on March 24, 1972 in the town of Clarkstown, New York
, between Valley Cottage
and Congers
, roughly 25 miles north of New York City
. Five students from Valley Cottage were killed, and 44 other students were injured.
The Penn Central railway crossing at Gilchrest Road West, just outside of Valley Cottage, contained only crossbucks and lacked additional warning hardware, such as flashing lights or a warning bell. The railway line was also difficult for road vehicles to see due to the curvature of the road and lineside trees.
, loaded past capacity, downhill on Gilchrest Road. Penn Central freight train
number 2653, travelling at 25 miles per hour with 73 loaded freight cars, was heading towards the Gilchrest Road crossing, and began blowing its horn
. Larkin did not decrease the speed of the bus as he approaching the grade crossing. The train motorman saw the bus cross the tracks and immediately applied the emergency brakes. However, the train's momentum carried it through the crossing, where it collided with the bus. The freight train ripped through the school bus, severing it into two sections, with the front half coming to rest 1000 feet (304.8 m) down the tracks.
Three students were killed instantly. 45 more students and Larkin were rushed to a nearby hospital, where two more students died from injuries they sustained. Some of the children that survived required artificial limbs.
in the death of the five students. Larkin claimed he had come to a complete stop and looked both ways before the collision; sixteen witnesses claimed he did not. Larkin was given probation; the judge told him "You will be punished for the rest of your life and you deserve to be".
At the time of the accident, Larkin was a part-time bus driver who had been driving the route less than a week. Larkin also worked as a fireman. The surviving children admitted to the fact they did not like Larkin, claiming he frequently drove aggressively and tried to beat other cars to an intersection. Joseph Larkin died in October 2000.
The current railway crossing at Gilchrest Road West is now protected with crossbucks, flashing lights, a warning bell and safety gates
. Frequent freight trains are operated there by CSX Transportation
.
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
accident that occurred on March 24, 1972 in the town of Clarkstown, New York
Clarkstown, New York
Clarkstown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States. The town is on the eastern border of the county, located north of the town of Orangetown; east of the town of Ramapo; South of the town of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total...
, between Valley Cottage
Valley Cottage, New York
Valley Cottage is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of West Nyack; east of New City; south of Congers and west of Upper Nyack...
and Congers
Congers, New York
Congers is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Valley Cottage; east of New City, across Lake DeForest, south of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River. It lies 19 miles north of New York City's Bronx boundary...
, roughly 25 miles north of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Five students from Valley Cottage were killed, and 44 other students were injured.
The Penn Central railway crossing at Gilchrest Road West, just outside of Valley Cottage, contained only crossbucks and lacked additional warning hardware, such as flashing lights or a warning bell. The railway line was also difficult for road vehicles to see due to the curvature of the road and lineside trees.
Accident
On the morning of March 24, 1972, 35-year-old Joseph Larkin was driving a school busSchool bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
, loaded past capacity, downhill on Gilchrest Road. Penn Central freight train
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
number 2653, travelling at 25 miles per hour with 73 loaded freight cars, was heading towards the Gilchrest Road crossing, and began blowing its horn
Train horn
Train horns are audible warning devices found on most diesel and electric locomotives. Their primary purpose is to alert persons and animals to the presence of a train, especially when approaching a grade crossing. They are also used for acknowledging signals given by railroad employees Train horns...
. Larkin did not decrease the speed of the bus as he approaching the grade crossing. The train motorman saw the bus cross the tracks and immediately applied the emergency brakes. However, the train's momentum carried it through the crossing, where it collided with the bus. The freight train ripped through the school bus, severing it into two sections, with the front half coming to rest 1000 feet (304.8 m) down the tracks.
Three students were killed instantly. 45 more students and Larkin were rushed to a nearby hospital, where two more students died from injuries they sustained. Some of the children that survived required artificial limbs.
Trial
Larkin was brought to trial and charged with criminally negligent homicideHomicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
in the death of the five students. Larkin claimed he had come to a complete stop and looked both ways before the collision; sixteen witnesses claimed he did not. Larkin was given probation; the judge told him "You will be punished for the rest of your life and you deserve to be".
At the time of the accident, Larkin was a part-time bus driver who had been driving the route less than a week. Larkin also worked as a fireman. The surviving children admitted to the fact they did not like Larkin, claiming he frequently drove aggressively and tried to beat other cars to an intersection. Joseph Larkin died in October 2000.
The current railway crossing at Gilchrest Road West is now protected with crossbucks, flashing lights, a warning bell and safety gates
Boom barrier
A boom barrier is a bar, or pole pivoted in such a way as to allow the boom to block vehicular access through a controlled point. Typically the tip of a boom gate rises in a vertical arc to a near vertical position. Boom gates are often counterweighted, so the pole is easily tipped...
. Frequent freight trains are operated there by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
.