# One of those days/nights



## Iowaemtb (Sep 22, 2012)

We were called to assist another dept. yesterday in a train v.s. vehicle accident, which was a fatality.  We were called out early this am to one of the local truck stops, and the same time that same other dept. was called out to a train v.s. car accident.  Two calls back to back of the same thing, different crossings, same railroad.  How often does that happen? So far I do not know the outcome of the accident, but it did not sound good, with a person ejected.


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## WuLabsWuTecH (Sep 27, 2012)

Massive, multi-ton, mile-long, hunk of metal vs a car usually ends poorly for the car and all of its occupants.

Train vs. Car happens more often than you may imagine.  If you wanted the exact probability that it happens in your area two days in a row, you would have to calculate the probability of an accident at the given grade crossing, and then calculate the Poisson discrete probability distribution with the average set to the probability you calculated above, the time set to 2 days, and the count set to 1 for each day.  It probably would be something you could come up with quickly in about a half hour, but I on the other hand am going to go eat dinner 

(Yes I was being facetious--i doubt you actually wanted a numerical answer to, "how often does that happen?")


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## Iowaemtb (Sep 27, 2012)

Actually it was a retorical question.


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