Have
you ever wondered why school buses stop and open their doors at
railroad crossings? It's to get a better look at whether a train is
coming. But as a universal regulation, that action has a tragic story
behind it.
On the morning of December 1, 1938, in Salt
Lake City, Utah, a tremendous blizzard wracked the countryside. That's
when a school bus carrying 39 kids between the ages of 12 and 18 to
Jordan High School stopped at a railroad crossing, just as the law
required. However, the zero-visibility conditions and fogged-up bus
windows ensured that driver Farrold Silcox never saw the hurtling
cow-catcher of the Flying Ute, a 50-car freight train, barreling down on
him. We'd tell you to close your eyes at this point, but that would be
irresponsible since we have no way of knowing if you're currently
approaching a railroad crossing.
It was the worst railroad
crossing accident in U.S. history -- the Flying Ute plowed into the bus
at 60 miles per hour, dragging it for nearly half a mile before it could
come to a stop. In all, 25 students, plus the driver, perished in the
tragedy.
That accident directly led to the regulation
that school bus drivers open the door at railroad crossings to get an
unobstructed view of the tracks. You'll also learn why natural gas has
that smell, revolving doors have normal companion doors, mail is
delivered to homes, and historical movies have a disclaimer, all in
a list full of colorful language at Cracked.
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