Your first thought upon seeing this photo might be that the train hit the car, spun it around and it then took out the grade crossing protection signal. But if you look carefully, you’ll note that the train is not yet on the crossing, so it could not have hit the car unless it was off the road.
The location is Waterloo Road south of Mogadore. The date is Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. The train originated in Brittain Yard in Akron and was traveling to Canton. I was chasing it along with fellow Akron Railroad Club member Roger Durfee.
We had heard on the radio the dispatcher tell the crew to slow for the crossing as a motorist had knocked some of the lights off. How the accident occurred is not clear. What was clear to us is that the car took out the signals well before the arrival of the train.
A W&LE signal maintainer on the scene said it was the second time such an accident had happened at this crossing. The grade crossing signals for the other direction are new because several months ago another car took them out. Soon the motoring public and the railroad will have all new signals at this crossing.
As for the train, it passed through without incident. We got out photographs and resumed the chase, delighted to have an unexpected snowfall to work with.
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