Not really a sighting, but more of a "hearing" . . .
It would seem that smashboards are alive and well on the CSX Indianapolis Line Sub! I just heard on the scanner a few minutes ago of an unusual activation failure at the North Sherman Drive grade crossing in the Brightwood area. The storm that blew through Indy within the past hour managed to spin the crossing gates there, such that as an eastbound train approached the crossing, the gates dropped to horizontal across both tracks instead of across the street, and the train crashed into them.
When the engineer contacted the dispatcher to report it, the dispatcher said that a bystander had called 911 to report the incident. Of course no one was injured, but it kind of sucks that Mother Nature just created a bit more work and expense for CSX's signal department.
