Word is just coming in that a bike rider was killed in Sante Fe Springs today.
The Whittier Police Department tweeted at 2:49 this afternoon that their officers were investigating the death of a bicyclist at the railroad intersection of Rosecrans and Marquardt.
No other details are available at this time.
The implication is that he or she was hit by a train, but that has not been confirmed yet.
Henry Fung writes that the train tracks run diagonal to the streets at that intersection, and the warning gates are placed prior to the intersection, rather than next to the tracks. So it could be possible for a rider to be inside the gates when they come down, and not see the warning before a train comes.
This is the 56th bicycling fatality this year, and the 22nd in Los Angeles County.
Update: The Whittier Daily News reports the victim, identified only as a man, was riding north along Rosecrans around 2:45 pm when he slipped between the crossing arms, and was struck by a freight train.
Let this serve as a reminder to never, ever go around, under or through railroad crossing arms. They’re down for a reason.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his or her loved ones.
Looking at Google Earth via one of your links it’s about 15 feet from the stop bar to the far side of the tracks on the eastbound side in the right lane, and about 175 feet on the westbound side. That’s way too far an unprotected distance at bicycle speeds, especially if the cyclist was stopped at the stop bar and then began moving forward.
How was the bicyclist going north on a street that runs east-west?
Would be interesting to know if this warrants published investigation report. Most investigated train-cycle crashes in UK show rider using earpieces and completely unable to hear train horn, full emergency brake application etc, and ride straight into path of train.
Initially an option that crossing skew caused fall but later report indicates cyclist was riding. That noted if cyclist was ‘deaf’ and riding slowly, they might be inside barriers & lights when these are set off by train.
Our prayers go up for the family and friends of the victim.