Caught on video: Metrobus hit by crossing arm at Riverdale Park, Maryland. Happens a day after a train hits another Metrobus.
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Watch raw video of the latest incident at the Riverdale Park crossing (or here)
Watch video from Thursday’s collision between a MARC commuter train and two Metrobuses (or here)
My friend and colleague at 9NEWS NOW, Scott Broom, was at the CSX crossing on Queensbury Road in Riverdale Park on Friday with camera in hand and captured some interesting video. For the second day in a row, a crossing arm came down on a Metrobus providing for a few tense moments.
Scott was there because, on Thursday, a Metrobus couldn’t clear the tracks due to another Metrobus in front of it making a left turn. After the crossing arm came down on the bus on the tracks some passengers scrambled to safety. Riverdale Park Police report the driver then moved the bus forward striking the other bus. That still didn’t leave enough room and the rear of the bus was hit by a MARC commuter train as it came into the Riverdale station. Due to the fairly low speed of the collision, out of the 450 people on board the train and two buses, only 8 were hurt. No one had serious injuries.
While Scott was at the crossing for a follow-up story he witnessed the second close call. Here’s how he describes it:
In the Friday incident caught on tape, a similar scenario unfolded. A bus approached the crossing just as another was making a left turn in the intersection ahead.
With the intersection clear, the bus approaching the tracks moved forward and stopped, apparently to look for trains. Seconds later, the crossing signals began ringing, and the gate came down on the roof of the bus.
With the gate scraping the roof, the bus was able to back up, only after traffic behind cleared the way.
A CSX freight train crossed Queensbury Road one minute and fifteen seconds later.
