RAILROAD/HIGHWAY ACCIDENT REPORT - COLLISION OF A BURLINGTON NORTHERN FREIGHT TRAIN WITH A BUS, STRATTON, NEBRASKA, AUGUST 8, 1976

On August 8, 1976, an eastbound Burlington Northern freight train struck a southbound bus at a grade crossing in Stratton, Nebraska. The bus was en route to a local church where the passengers were to attend Sunday school. Of the 17 persons in the bus, 9 were killed and 8 were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the bus driver to perceive the approaching train and to stop his vehicle short of the tracks. Contributing to the accident was the inadequacy of the grade crossing's obsolete wigwag warning signal as a warning device, the visual obstruction of the signal and partial obstruction of the train by parts of the bus, and the inadequacy of the train's horn as a reliable warning system.

  • Corporate Authors:

    National Transportation Safety Board

    Bureau of Accident Investigation, 800 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC  United States  20594
  • Publication Date: 1977-8-11

Media Info

  • Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00175674
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
  • Report/Paper Numbers: NTSB-RHR-77-1
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jun 28 1978 12:00AM