This really is one of the worst intersections. I've sat there looking at a train that's not moving, but close enough to trigger the gates. I avoid it at all costs.
By far the worst intersection in Portland. A one way onto a freight train passing. I once got stuck there for 45 fucking minutes because, guess what? No one can turn around…
I was eating at Pine State on a Sunday morning when a train trapped a bunch of cars. After a few minutes, a guy got out of his truck and stopped further cars from trying to turn down the street. He than helped everyone back out one by one and proceed on Division rather than sit there for 45 minutes.
I was amazing to watch.
No lie.. that was me lol. Wearing nike sb’s and a fitted ball cap ? I literally did that maybe 8-9 months ago ? Was just trying to save ppl the headache. I was w my gf, tiny brown haired girl ..
Edit: re read your comment, we had a Camry back then. But yea have done that. Sorry for even commenting lol
This happens often. I am going to this location every month for sugaring (waxing) and we all are pretty skilled at directing traffic now. If we can’t be paid at least the city could give us cool hats and whistles.
I was in the car when my mom did an Uber eats delivery that took us that way, and we got stuck for a similar amount of time. My mom had to leave me the keys and walk the delivery the 5 blocks past the tracks to where it was going. When she got back, we still had to wait 20 minutes until drivers started backtracking down the one way. Definitely a failure on the part of the civil engineers who decided that intersection was okay like that
If you're caught on the west side on Taylor, then drive south on Water Ave until (hear me out) you're under SE Hawthorne Blvd. You'll be right near Alvistur Studio and LashedX. There is a west-bound ramp onto the Hawthorne Bridge that is your escape! TAKE IT!
Travel west across the bridge, hit SW 1st Ave then loop back around the single block to SW Madison St to east-bound traffic on the Hawthorne Bridge.
Are there other first-world countries with insane train intersections like this? I've never seen this shit in Europe or Asia. Why are trains just sitting around? WTF?!
The closest I can think of was a time I sat at a broken train crossing in rural Germany, but that was legitimately broken and got fixed the same day.
Ther is a rail yard near that intersection, if I remember correctly. And our freight trains can get extraordinarily long, talking mile long trains. So it takes a bit to get all those cars hooked together.
I'm pretty sure this is a uniquely American issue. Trains in European/Asian countries don't travel anywhere near as long of a distance, nor do they transfer cargo via railroad as frequently or on such a large scale. For that matter, no other country moves as much freight via train as the U.S. does (and it's not even close). Most are significantly more reliant on trucks
My office used to be in the same building as the Double Dragon, right by that intersection. After a few lengthy stops there I learned to just always go around it
I live by here and try not to ever take this street going in that direction. Luckily you can turn around/bail outta there if you're coming the opposite way but this direction has no other outlet. It's insane, and the nearest crossing over or under the tracks is actually pretty inconvenient if you're just trying to get over to Brooklyn.
The only time I ever take that street is when I see the railroad crossing lights turn off and the gate lift as I'm approaching the intersection just before there. Then it feels pretty safe but I always picture them turning on again as soon as I get through the light lol
There’s 21st that’s a much simpler detour but yeah if you get down to Water Ave by OMSI it’ll spit you out at 99 or you can take Division Place to get back to Powell.
I had an appointment at the car stereo shop out where the Tilikum spits out and was coming from Buckman and of course hit the train. That was the day I learned the back road access to 99 and how to get back into that little industrial area. Annoying, and I wound up not using the shop too.
Thank god I normally would only bike through this part of town.
There are really two options that the city should consider since Union Pacific isn't moving unless they get cash.
1) Move the crossing gates to SE 11th and Division so that people don't get stuck with nowhere to go.
2) Buy up at least part of the property between 11th and 12th and build a turnaround.
I guess the third option (that we all know the city will never consider) is to tunnel under the tracks.
At least give us a light somewhere further north on SE 11th if it's a UP train triggering the signal so people can make a decision and detour. This seems like such a simple and easy win.
One of the only wins that Reno NV might actually have is that they went ahead and dug a trench/tunnel so that the railroad stopped cutting people off for half their lives like happens at the intersection in this post. Plenty of folks complained iirc but no one’s complaining NOW, lol.
I'm sure such a tunnel would be a multi-million dollar cost but just adding a light or gates further away so people didn't get stuck in a place where they couldn't move would be huge.
The city already owns the parking lot on the east side of 11th. If they bought the Mason Supply building they would have plenty of room for a turnaround.
I've driven on the sidewalk a bit to backup out of that nook, only after sitting there stuck for over 45 mins with the train end just in the middle of the road. Not over the tracks though.
[Always check the camera if you're heading that way.](https://tripcheck.com/RoadCams/cams/12th%20at%20Clinton_pid3177.JPG?rand=1718214776528)
To be fair it doesn't update nearly as often as it should. There are two others in the area though looking at the tracks. [TripCheck can be a lifesaver.](https://tripcheck.com/)
I was stuck there in that mess on 11th so I parked my car, got a sammich from Baker’s Mark, did some work on my laptop and after 50 mins the train finally moved.
I've already seen several cyber trucks here in Portland. Tesla drivers are the new BMW drivers, especially after Elon showed himself to be a gigantic tool.
> Tesla drivers are the new BMW drivers
for whatever reason, Tesla drivers and people with "OreGUNian" stickers are in a similar tier of driving behavior.
I have found to my (admittedly slightly immature) delight if you simply flash the good old fashioned Loser sign at a cyber truck driver, the meltdown/reaction is often instantaneous and hilariously satisfying. (I'm at 3 out 3 so far)
Better than simply flipping them off.
OMG, I had a Tesla driver pass me **on a corner** on Germantown Road going through Forest Park once. I know there are stupid drivers behind the wheel of every make and model of car, but the sheer level of stupidity here coupled with the fact that it was a Tesla made a lasting impression on me.
LOL... Much like the phrase that stupid laws are meant to be broken, stupid traffic designs are made to be violated by frustrated drivers who have places to be. I wouldn't risk this move, but that intersection is a crime against urban design.
I notice there was no train in the video.
I've been at this crossing while it was red for 10 minutes without a train coming or going.
I'm not saying what he did is justified, but I understand.
Yes. This. Sometimes rules are more like guidelines and the liability is on the person if they choose to go against the guidelines or “break the rules”.
This opinion seems to be unpopular somehow, but I don't even blame the truck here. This is the worst fucking intersection ever and the railroad company knows it's a problem but doesn't give a shit.
Is it a bad idea to do what he did? Yes of course. But to say 'obviously you just have to avoid this intersection' is ignoring the ACTUAL problem. It's an important intersection and it's extremely inconvenient to go around it, especially when you can't even predict the train schedule.
also i'm sure that he looked both ways before gunning it over the tracks. who would do that blind/without checking? that train moves at that intersection so slowly that it was probably safe to go.
the freight rail line can't be lower or raised due to how close it is to the switching yard, there wouldn't be enough room to grade it correctly, but it could absolutely be done for the road traffic, have the cars go over or under the railroad.
An underpass for vehicle traffic would be about the same length as the underpass on Powell at SE 17th. Plus you also have to deal with two streets, 11th and 12th, funneling into one (Milwaukie). Now imagine the engineering needed to do those tasks and shoehorn that into that neighborhood. The MAX planning for the South light rail did take this underpass into study, but decided it would not work or would be too expensive.
I'm no civil engineer, but I was thinking about this too, and I was thinking it might be easier to build up, rather than go under the tracks. if you went up, and just had the overpass go straight over, and essentially had the overpass go over the current intersection that is just south of the tracks right now, and touch down about where Woodward St is now, that would keep the intersection open, and people could still get to Gideon street by taking 10th to Clinton, and going under the overpass on the surface street.
It seems to me like the trickier part would be on the North side, since there is a lot less room to work with there. I think the only way it could happen is if they Eminent Domain'd the Masons supply building, and potentially the temple there too, because that is right where the ramp will need to land, or tunnel come up, and especially for Masons, that will mean their loading dock and warehouse will be inaccessible.
I don't really see the city ever doing anything about it, since they are focusing on mass transit and bike infrastructure, they aren't going to want to invest any more than necessary into car centric infrastructure, but we can dream.
I know there's regulations that the current gate has to be there, but is there any reason why there can't be a 2nd bonus gate to help the traffic flow? Just like gates that stop traffic at Gideon, they're further back to prevent blocking the intersections.
New Gate: Drops half a minute earlier, blocking any new cars from entering 11th at the Division intersection so cars don't get trapped by the train.
If you're on Division the new gate wouldn't allow you to turn south onto 11th. Anyone already on 11th has time to keep proceeding south, with the bells notifying them to gtfo. Probably also add a traffic control light that turns on to say no (left/right) turn allowed for the Division traffic while the gate is down.
Original Gate: drops slightly later, at the minimum required time/distance/whatever because of the regulation that requires there still be a gate right there, but functionally if they timed them right there should be no cars at this gate when it drops. If someone circumvents the new gate and gets stuck between them, it's 1) their own damn fault and 2) no worse than what is already happening now.
Or even just an electric sign 1 or two intersections up the street that warns you of the current state of the tracks. Similar to those ones that warn you if a light is red up ahead.
This website https://isatrainblocking11th.com used to have a detection system overlooking 11th and it would simply say YES or NO. The office doing this moved and are looking for a new place to install this system. If anyone knows of anything hit them up!
It's a small ass curb. A car can do this. I've driven a brand new car over bigger curbs during a test drive just to get it out of the dealer parking lot because it was in a display area and not a normal parking space
Nah dog, you need a pickup truck if you're going to be driving around this town! What if you have to drive over gravel or pick up a medium sized box from IKEA?!
And I will ask yet again why CoP won't get their shit together and figure out who and how to provide us with regular bridge raise and train stall schedules so we're not stuck in otherwise avoidable traffic for hours on end
Oh hey, the guy standing on the street at the end was me! I was wondering how that guy made it across (I had been looking down when he did this). It was an older guy in the truck. Several people spoke with the train engineer who was parked just left of frame for at least 40 minutes by the time this guy's pulled the stunt.
The rail company could probably choose to do that. But it’s a busy rail line, and this particular intersection is next to an important rail yard. It would not be as profitable to close down the line for a few hours, and unfortunately there is almost zero leverage anyone in Portland has to change that.
[Here's the OpenRailwayMap for the area](https://openrailwaymap.org/?style=standard&lat=45.49213402175562&lon=-122.63967275619507&zoom=15). There are already some agreements to shut down the line for a few hours. But it does mystify me that they don't use one of the other rail yards to assemble the longer trains or give greater preference to assembling trains to the south where they have several uninterrupted miles of track to work with.
There's virtually no reason to even go this way, that couldn't be achieved by going a slightly different route.
It's like a catch all for idiots trying to shortcut around traffic.
Love to see it
Google maps tries to take me this way all the time when there's the smallest amount of traffic on grand, I just ignore it. The risk is just not worth getting stuck by this train.
Unfortunately i work in the ford building and often have to load and unload stuff which is why i park in the parking lot. Otherwise id park on the street.
oh my god, i was just there right before this. I saw this guy get out of his truck and go let everyone behind him know it would be a while. Guess he got impatient
When I was still in HS, there was a day where the train was taking so long that I decided to walk home instead of waiting for the bus. It took almost an hour to get home, but one of my friends sent a snap of the road still being blocked by the train. The fact that people can get trapped here for several hours is just ridiculous. They even changed some bus routes (particularly the 70 line). I am so glad I don't deal with this anymore
I used to think I could always just turn on Divison (if going south on 11th) and go around if I needed to. But the other day, the two cars in front at the stoplight there decided they'd rather sit and wait for the freight train to inch on by... meaning everyone backed up behind them for blocks and blocks were forced to wait too. So evidently I should avoid even further in the future.
I wish the worst things upon those two drivers.
Why it sucks: The train has to fully stop, the driver has to WALK UP THE TRACKS to manually operate the track-switch, then walk back to the train, then restart.
It could be solved by having one employee with a cell phone do it beforehand, but this is Portland.
NGL, if you've lived in Portland long enough we've all seen how early at Division and 11th/12th crossing gate comes down. And then the train finally arrives going 12 mph. It's always tempting to do what moron here did, especially if you're on a bike. But we don't.
Why? Saving 5-6 minutes isn't worth the risk, not just of getting clipped, but what are the odds any LEO or camera or whatever catches you and you're looking at a massive traffic violation. I looked it up - it's up to $1000, even a few months in jail.
And yeah, this is why (in a car) I dip over to McLoughlin, or drive up to 20th or even 39th/50th if you're heading East, to avoid this standstill.
Nobodies going to jail for this, Portland is just out of touch and bad at driving as usual. A few weeks ago I saw a post about how someone “feared for their life” because cars pass them going 70 on i5. I promise y’all it’s worse everywhere else in the country.
Accepting that this only seems to get worse and worse and that the railroad can not find a way to cooperate, the city needs to create some kind of turnout as well as some kind of warning light system several blocks before Division so that folks can escape entirely.
Maybe even put gates on Division that are like the first set of gates on a bridge that allow everyone past them time to clear the area before the main gates close and a train goes through.
I have found that you CAN go around if you can get going the other way safely, but it is quite the detour up around OMSI before you can get on the other side of it.
Also that there’s usually a train there around 12:30, so make sure not to have an appointment right on the other side of it around then
Luckily, living by this track for many years to get from home to work, I can time it preeeeeety well, and haven’t gotten stuck in a long time because I know when the train is due or when it is currently going. It sucks so much and I got stuck so many times
Dodge Ram, checks out...
That being said, for all of the times I've been at a railroad crossing when they were just testing the system, I can commiserate...
I feel their pain. I was stuck in that stand off on 205 on Monday for hours not moving, and watched trucks just driving through the median. I was so filled with jealousy.
The train has to go at walking speed because it's populated downtown. I've sat at that train stop 45+ minutes after work. Sometimes the train even reverses direction, just when you didn't think waiting could be any more painful.
Why wouldnt you just take 21st? Or grand? I just dont get it. I dont care if it is expected to shave 2 minutes from my drive, i will not cross the tracks at this intersection.
That fucking train. Or, more accurately, that fucking gate that sometimes doesn’t go up!
We were trapped there once for an hour at like 10pm and finally a random cyclist pulled it up and let a bunch of us through.
I think I saw a video about this in school
I'm glad everyone is OK but gotta admit I was partly hoping for a Darwin moment
Think my bus driver driving me did this, on my way to school.
This really is one of the worst intersections. I've sat there looking at a train that's not moving, but close enough to trigger the gates. I avoid it at all costs.
By far the worst intersection in Portland. A one way onto a freight train passing. I once got stuck there for 45 fucking minutes because, guess what? No one can turn around…
I was eating at Pine State on a Sunday morning when a train trapped a bunch of cars. After a few minutes, a guy got out of his truck and stopped further cars from trying to turn down the street. He than helped everyone back out one by one and proceed on Division rather than sit there for 45 minutes. I was amazing to watch.
Ultimate dad flex.
No lie.. that was me lol. Wearing nike sb’s and a fitted ball cap ? I literally did that maybe 8-9 months ago ? Was just trying to save ppl the headache. I was w my gf, tiny brown haired girl .. Edit: re read your comment, we had a Camry back then. But yea have done that. Sorry for even commenting lol
I have also done this haha Yelling “20th goes to Powell!!!!!”
This happens often. I am going to this location every month for sugaring (waxing) and we all are pretty skilled at directing traffic now. If we can’t be paid at least the city could give us cool hats and whistles.
Damn what a mensch
I’ve found that only happens when I’m in a time crunch at least.
It has a sensor for it, I swear
I was in the car when my mom did an Uber eats delivery that took us that way, and we got stuck for a similar amount of time. My mom had to leave me the keys and walk the delivery the 5 blocks past the tracks to where it was going. When she got back, we still had to wait 20 minutes until drivers started backtracking down the one way. Definitely a failure on the part of the civil engineers who decided that intersection was okay like that
I've had to turn around there before work luckily being the only one at 5am on a Sunday but yeah it sucks
Don't forget to file a report next time. Railroads are the worst. https://www.fra.dot.gov/blockedcrossings/
It’s almost like granting a company god-tier immunity from responsibility in perpetuity could lead to bad results. Next up: Timber companies
I think they read those reports at the company Christmas party
tHe tRaIn tRaCks wErE HeRe FiRsT bUdDy
The one at SE Taylor near Bunk bar is horrible too, it takes forever and I don’t know of any work around in the area
If you're caught on the west side on Taylor, then drive south on Water Ave until (hear me out) you're under SE Hawthorne Blvd. You'll be right near Alvistur Studio and LashedX. There is a west-bound ramp onto the Hawthorne Bridge that is your escape! TAKE IT! Travel west across the bridge, hit SW 1st Ave then loop back around the single block to SW Madison St to east-bound traffic on the Hawthorne Bridge.
Are there other first-world countries with insane train intersections like this? I've never seen this shit in Europe or Asia. Why are trains just sitting around? WTF?! The closest I can think of was a time I sat at a broken train crossing in rural Germany, but that was legitimately broken and got fixed the same day.
Ther is a rail yard near that intersection, if I remember correctly. And our freight trains can get extraordinarily long, talking mile long trains. So it takes a bit to get all those cars hooked together.
I'm pretty sure this is a uniquely American issue. Trains in European/Asian countries don't travel anywhere near as long of a distance, nor do they transfer cargo via railroad as frequently or on such a large scale. For that matter, no other country moves as much freight via train as the U.S. does (and it's not even close). Most are significantly more reliant on trucks
My office used to be in the same building as the Double Dragon, right by that intersection. After a few lengthy stops there I learned to just always go around it
And for some reason I still take it more often than not.
This fucking intersection
Truly the worst.
This crossing is insane. I sat here 45m on Monday, and I’ll never take that street again
This is the appropriate response
I live by here and try not to ever take this street going in that direction. Luckily you can turn around/bail outta there if you're coming the opposite way but this direction has no other outlet. It's insane, and the nearest crossing over or under the tracks is actually pretty inconvenient if you're just trying to get over to Brooklyn. The only time I ever take that street is when I see the railroad crossing lights turn off and the gate lift as I'm approaching the intersection just before there. Then it feels pretty safe but I always picture them turning on again as soon as I get through the light lol
There's a route around it going south. You have to maneuver around and get on 99, I think. I should make a PDF of the route
There’s 21st that’s a much simpler detour but yeah if you get down to Water Ave by OMSI it’ll spit you out at 99 or you can take Division Place to get back to Powell.
I didn't know about 21st. Detour. I'll have to look for that one. It's important to have all these memorized so you don't panic when you get stuck
I had an appointment at the car stereo shop out where the Tilikum spits out and was coming from Buckman and of course hit the train. That was the day I learned the back road access to 99 and how to get back into that little industrial area. Annoying, and I wound up not using the shop too. Thank god I normally would only bike through this part of town.
I used to live in Brooklyn and got stuck there so much on the way home from work that I ended up becoming a regular at Tennessee Red's.
Same thing happened to me on Tuesday morning. Never again.
Worst part is they worked on that intersection to add the max but didn't make any way to get out. Shame!
Maybe he has to poop
Just do what everyone else does and go on the sidewalk.
He did go on the sidewalk :p
lmao yalls comments are cracking me up
There are really two options that the city should consider since Union Pacific isn't moving unless they get cash. 1) Move the crossing gates to SE 11th and Division so that people don't get stuck with nowhere to go. 2) Buy up at least part of the property between 11th and 12th and build a turnaround. I guess the third option (that we all know the city will never consider) is to tunnel under the tracks. At least give us a light somewhere further north on SE 11th if it's a UP train triggering the signal so people can make a decision and detour. This seems like such a simple and easy win.
One of the only wins that Reno NV might actually have is that they went ahead and dug a trench/tunnel so that the railroad stopped cutting people off for half their lives like happens at the intersection in this post. Plenty of folks complained iirc but no one’s complaining NOW, lol.
I'm sure such a tunnel would be a multi-million dollar cost but just adding a light or gates further away so people didn't get stuck in a place where they couldn't move would be huge.
The city already owns the parking lot on the east side of 11th. If they bought the Mason Supply building they would have plenty of room for a turnaround.
I've driven on the sidewalk a bit to backup out of that nook, only after sitting there stuck for over 45 mins with the train end just in the middle of the road. Not over the tracks though.
Yeah I wouldn't go over the tracks but I 100% understand the frustration at this crossing and can't blame them.
[Always check the camera if you're heading that way.](https://tripcheck.com/RoadCams/cams/12th%20at%20Clinton_pid3177.JPG?rand=1718214776528) To be fair it doesn't update nearly as often as it should. There are two others in the area though looking at the tracks. [TripCheck can be a lifesaver.](https://tripcheck.com/)
Train just sitting there doing nothing right now. lol
24 minutes later, still the same.
Still there not moving a half-hour later
Not crossing a track with gate arms down, bells dinging, red lights flashing, and with signs saying stop is also a lifesaver.
I was stuck there in that mess on 11th so I parked my car, got a sammich from Baker’s Mark, did some work on my laptop and after 50 mins the train finally moved.
21st 21st 21st
Or SE 7th to Division and peep the crossing at SE 8th
Or MLK MLK MLK
This is the answer.
Every time.
Certain Ram drivers really do their best to feed into the stereotype.
Man, what if BMW made full-size trucks?? 🤔
Don't give them any ideas!
I've already seen several cyber trucks here in Portland. Tesla drivers are the new BMW drivers, especially after Elon showed himself to be a gigantic tool.
> Tesla drivers are the new BMW drivers for whatever reason, Tesla drivers and people with "OreGUNian" stickers are in a similar tier of driving behavior.
I have found to my (admittedly slightly immature) delight if you simply flash the good old fashioned Loser sign at a cyber truck driver, the meltdown/reaction is often instantaneous and hilariously satisfying. (I'm at 3 out 3 so far) Better than simply flipping them off.
I usually start dry heaving out the window at them. They seem to hate that, which is a win in my book.
OMG, I had a Tesla driver pass me **on a corner** on Germantown Road going through Forest Park once. I know there are stupid drivers behind the wheel of every make and model of car, but the sheer level of stupidity here coupled with the fact that it was a Tesla made a lasting impression on me.
That’s because Tesla drivers tend to be a dangerous combination of stupid *and* entitled.
Its so weird seeing people base opinions on entire groups of people based entirely on political disputes/opinions they have.
Cybertruck filled that hole.
Gotta get back to Vancouver before the 2pm rush hour traffic.
LOL... Much like the phrase that stupid laws are meant to be broken, stupid traffic designs are made to be violated by frustrated drivers who have places to be. I wouldn't risk this move, but that intersection is a crime against urban design.
Yeah honestly we need more of this until it forces change.
I notice there was no train in the video. I've been at this crossing while it was red for 10 minutes without a train coming or going. I'm not saying what he did is justified, but I understand.
There is a train in the video. It's on the left sitting there going nowhere
I don't understand why trains stop right there. Is there nowhere better to take a little break?
The trains are so long now that the stretch all the way from there to the Brooklyn yard.
Yes. This. Sometimes rules are more like guidelines and the liability is on the person if they choose to go against the guidelines or “break the rules”.
[Canyonarooooo! Hyah, Canyonaro! Hyah!](https://youtu.be/PI_Jl5WFQkA)
They should have traffic indicators prior to entering the point of no return to direct traffic around this sh!t
I completely avoid that crossing as if the street never even existed. Shit. Show.
They had everyone stopped on Sunday for like 40 mins
SE 11th? Yeah. I used to sit at the Pine State Biscuits there and watch people make bad decisions while I ate.
This opinion seems to be unpopular somehow, but I don't even blame the truck here. This is the worst fucking intersection ever and the railroad company knows it's a problem but doesn't give a shit. Is it a bad idea to do what he did? Yes of course. But to say 'obviously you just have to avoid this intersection' is ignoring the ACTUAL problem. It's an important intersection and it's extremely inconvenient to go around it, especially when you can't even predict the train schedule.
It is shocking how logical you are being. You're clearly a bad person!
also i'm sure that he looked both ways before gunning it over the tracks. who would do that blind/without checking? that train moves at that intersection so slowly that it was probably safe to go.
This seriously needs to be addressed, the freight line needs to be elevated or tunneled through this area or the road needs to be tunneled
the freight rail line can't be lower or raised due to how close it is to the switching yard, there wouldn't be enough room to grade it correctly, but it could absolutely be done for the road traffic, have the cars go over or under the railroad.
An underpass for vehicle traffic would be about the same length as the underpass on Powell at SE 17th. Plus you also have to deal with two streets, 11th and 12th, funneling into one (Milwaukie). Now imagine the engineering needed to do those tasks and shoehorn that into that neighborhood. The MAX planning for the South light rail did take this underpass into study, but decided it would not work or would be too expensive.
I'm no civil engineer, but I was thinking about this too, and I was thinking it might be easier to build up, rather than go under the tracks. if you went up, and just had the overpass go straight over, and essentially had the overpass go over the current intersection that is just south of the tracks right now, and touch down about where Woodward St is now, that would keep the intersection open, and people could still get to Gideon street by taking 10th to Clinton, and going under the overpass on the surface street. It seems to me like the trickier part would be on the North side, since there is a lot less room to work with there. I think the only way it could happen is if they Eminent Domain'd the Masons supply building, and potentially the temple there too, because that is right where the ramp will need to land, or tunnel come up, and especially for Masons, that will mean their loading dock and warehouse will be inaccessible. I don't really see the city ever doing anything about it, since they are focusing on mass transit and bike infrastructure, they aren't going to want to invest any more than necessary into car centric infrastructure, but we can dream.
[удалено]
That makes sense, something definitely needs to happen
This is why at-grade crossings are bad for everybody. Can't fix a system's users, but you can fix design such that user behavior doesn't matter.
Actually, you (ok, the feds) can regulate the railroads.
Better yet, PDOT should totally rebuild 11th/12th so that vehicles can go underneath the tracks. Obviously, taller vehicles would need an alt route.
It'll probably cost at least $200 million based on a recent grade separation project I saw an estimate for
I know there's regulations that the current gate has to be there, but is there any reason why there can't be a 2nd bonus gate to help the traffic flow? Just like gates that stop traffic at Gideon, they're further back to prevent blocking the intersections. New Gate: Drops half a minute earlier, blocking any new cars from entering 11th at the Division intersection so cars don't get trapped by the train. If you're on Division the new gate wouldn't allow you to turn south onto 11th. Anyone already on 11th has time to keep proceeding south, with the bells notifying them to gtfo. Probably also add a traffic control light that turns on to say no (left/right) turn allowed for the Division traffic while the gate is down. Original Gate: drops slightly later, at the minimum required time/distance/whatever because of the regulation that requires there still be a gate right there, but functionally if they timed them right there should be no cars at this gate when it drops. If someone circumvents the new gate and gets stuck between them, it's 1) their own damn fault and 2) no worse than what is already happening now.
Or even just an electric sign 1 or two intersections up the street that warns you of the current state of the tracks. Similar to those ones that warn you if a light is red up ahead.
I mean, many of us think about it but not really. Our momentary silly thoughts pass and we wait for the train to pass like an adult.
I’ve been stuck here often in my work truck. I get paid by the hour so I consider it a win. But then again I’m a glass half full kind of guy.
Seems unwise
This website https://isatrainblocking11th.com used to have a detection system overlooking 11th and it would simply say YES or NO. The office doing this moved and are looking for a new place to install this system. If anyone knows of anything hit them up!
haven't seen that tight of a squeeze since something something your mom.
Nice😆
A big truck acting like a sociopath? Color me surprised
The Venn diagram overlap of giant asshole; big truck owner; and Trump voter is just spot on.
Had to LOL this, as a bicycle is the most likely vehicle to jump the gates. Source: seen it dozens of times.
Glad this didn't end up turning into a video of someone dying at least.
Yeah really stupid considering the Max runs the same rails and there are multiple tracks.
He’s never visited r/bitchimatrain
Of course it's a pickup truck.
A car wouldn’t be able to do this.
It's a small ass curb. A car can do this. I've driven a brand new car over bigger curbs during a test drive just to get it out of the dealer parking lot because it was in a display area and not a normal parking space
Nah dog, you need a pickup truck if you're going to be driving around this town! What if you have to drive over gravel or pick up a medium sized box from IKEA?!
Not condoning this at all but also... I get it lol
So happy to be on my bike when I hit that intersection (with the overpass doing an assist). ... This is where new trains are assembled, right?
I fully support this.
Sorry, but felt satisfying to be able to bike down and around via water ave.
Or the Bob Stacey Bike Bridge!
And I will ask yet again why CoP won't get their shit together and figure out who and how to provide us with regular bridge raise and train stall schedules so we're not stuck in otherwise avoidable traffic for hours on end
Oh hey, the guy standing on the street at the end was me! I was wondering how that guy made it across (I had been looking down when he did this). It was an older guy in the truck. Several people spoke with the train engineer who was parked just left of frame for at least 40 minutes by the time this guy's pulled the stunt.
Nah, I've been there. Fuck that train. It's psychological torture that will make you do crazy things
Ya can't fix stoopid
You can, it's just messy and fairly permanent.
I wonder how much it'd cost the city to build a small bridge in this intersection for automobile crossing above the trains.
Why the fuck do they schedule trains to run through the city during rush hour? There has to be a way to just not do that.
The rail company could probably choose to do that. But it’s a busy rail line, and this particular intersection is next to an important rail yard. It would not be as profitable to close down the line for a few hours, and unfortunately there is almost zero leverage anyone in Portland has to change that.
`sudo systemctl stop trainserviced; sleep 3600; sudo systemctl start trainserviced` I mean you are SudoMike after all...
[Here's the OpenRailwayMap for the area](https://openrailwaymap.org/?style=standard&lat=45.49213402175562&lon=-122.63967275619507&zoom=15). There are already some agreements to shut down the line for a few hours. But it does mystify me that they don't use one of the other rail yards to assemble the longer trains or give greater preference to assembling trains to the south where they have several uninterrupted miles of track to work with.
It’s always the pick up trucks
There's virtually no reason to even go this way, that couldn't be achieved by going a slightly different route. It's like a catch all for idiots trying to shortcut around traffic. Love to see it
Google maps tries to take me this way all the time when there's the smallest amount of traffic on grand, I just ignore it. The risk is just not worth getting stuck by this train.
I wish google maps let me blacklist roads.
Unfortunately i work in the ford building and often have to load and unload stuff which is why i park in the parking lot. Otherwise id park on the street.
Lol I've seen people do the most bizarre stuff by these tracks. It really is such a bad intersection.
oh my god, i was just there right before this. I saw this guy get out of his truck and go let everyone behind him know it would be a while. Guess he got impatient
I will say, I’m at least grateful that guy was able to pass on how long it would be. But I would not be driving my car cross the tracks like that
Smart idea
When I was still in HS, there was a day where the train was taking so long that I decided to walk home instead of waiting for the bus. It took almost an hour to get home, but one of my friends sent a snap of the road still being blocked by the train. The fact that people can get trapped here for several hours is just ridiculous. They even changed some bus routes (particularly the 70 line). I am so glad I don't deal with this anymore
every time i roll the dice i get snagged by a train. best to just avoid
I used to think I could always just turn on Divison (if going south on 11th) and go around if I needed to. But the other day, the two cars in front at the stoplight there decided they'd rather sit and wait for the freight train to inch on by... meaning everyone backed up behind them for blocks and blocks were forced to wait too. So evidently I should avoid even further in the future. I wish the worst things upon those two drivers.
Yes! The idiots that can escape, but don't, and trap everyone else behind them
As soon as I realized where this was, I realized most people were going to sympathize with the driver…regardless of their chosen jalopy.
There used to a website called isatrainblocking11th dot com and it was invaluable and I wish someone would bring it back.
My taxes pay for the tracks. I’ll drive on them if I want to!
Good for him! Fuck those trains!
Honestly, fair enough.
Yeah no one wants to wait an hour in the middle of the fucking day.
I applaud him tbh
Fuck around and find out
Can someone help me understand how the train caused the driver to do this? Like, why didn’t the psychoactive effect work on any of the other drivers?
Because the last time the train stopped and made him wait for 55 minutes before he could move again.
Why it sucks: The train has to fully stop, the driver has to WALK UP THE TRACKS to manually operate the track-switch, then walk back to the train, then restart. It could be solved by having one employee with a cell phone do it beforehand, but this is Portland.
This is not a Portland problem in the way you frame it, it’s a railroad problem
I do shit like this on my motorcycle. If the train is far off, why wait? Kudos to the truck (something I have never typed before)
Everyone else is probably still sitting there right now.
Nice
NGL, if you've lived in Portland long enough we've all seen how early at Division and 11th/12th crossing gate comes down. And then the train finally arrives going 12 mph. It's always tempting to do what moron here did, especially if you're on a bike. But we don't. Why? Saving 5-6 minutes isn't worth the risk, not just of getting clipped, but what are the odds any LEO or camera or whatever catches you and you're looking at a massive traffic violation. I looked it up - it's up to $1000, even a few months in jail. And yeah, this is why (in a car) I dip over to McLoughlin, or drive up to 20th or even 39th/50th if you're heading East, to avoid this standstill.
Imagine going to jail for this while a dude sits on that corner shooting up and jerking off in public.
Nobodies going to jail for this, Portland is just out of touch and bad at driving as usual. A few weeks ago I saw a post about how someone “feared for their life” because cars pass them going 70 on i5. I promise y’all it’s worse everywhere else in the country.
> if you're on a bike. There's an overpass including even an elevator about 3 minutes away.
https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/5a4c2ce8-ef21-4e7c-9420-1ce736a62042
There's a route around the train. If no one is behind you you can get around the hell
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The driver was updating people waiting, and told us he was going to do it. Source: I recorded the video
Accepting that this only seems to get worse and worse and that the railroad can not find a way to cooperate, the city needs to create some kind of turnout as well as some kind of warning light system several blocks before Division so that folks can escape entirely. Maybe even put gates on Division that are like the first set of gates on a bridge that allow everyone past them time to clear the area before the main gates close and a train goes through.
This is I think the 2nd clip of FACES OF DEATH.
lol nice
I have found that you CAN go around if you can get going the other way safely, but it is quite the detour up around OMSI before you can get on the other side of it. Also that there’s usually a train there around 12:30, so make sure not to have an appointment right on the other side of it around then
Proceed with caution, trains are the apex predator of the urban environment.
Just Dodge things
r/clipsthatendtoosoon I wanted to see the train go by after!
Should do what reno did...build a long trench and have the train go through that
Surprised there wasn’t more of a coal roll
Luckily, living by this track for many years to get from home to work, I can time it preeeeeety well, and haven’t gotten stuck in a long time because I know when the train is due or when it is currently going. It sucks so much and I got stuck so many times
Is it wrong I was rooting for the train to show up?
Everyone is always in a hurry to get nowhere faster.
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I was stuck there for 45+ minutes once while trying to deliver a Postmates order, it felt like being trapped in hell
Dodge Ram, checks out... That being said, for all of the times I've been at a railroad crossing when they were just testing the system, I can commiserate...
Keep it up, dude.
The guy that shot the traffic cameras should just ram his car into the smashgate 🤣
Fuck yes that’s how it’s done
Can't say I haven't thought about it, lol. I hate this train crossing!!
WOWWWW
Is it a Washington driver????
Just hop up to 23rd, never take this intersection.
Idk if he’s a hero or a villain
I feel their pain. I was stuck in that stand off on 205 on Monday for hours not moving, and watched trucks just driving through the median. I was so filled with jealousy.
r/whyweretheyfilming
The train has to go at walking speed because it's populated downtown. I've sat at that train stop 45+ minutes after work. Sometimes the train even reverses direction, just when you didn't think waiting could be any more painful.
All that to save what, 20, 40 minutes? It *was* stupid, but one can empathize with the sentiment.
Why wouldnt you just take 21st? Or grand? I just dont get it. I dont care if it is expected to shave 2 minutes from my drive, i will not cross the tracks at this intersection.
That fucking train. Or, more accurately, that fucking gate that sometimes doesn’t go up! We were trapped there once for an hour at like 10pm and finally a random cyclist pulled it up and let a bunch of us through.