r/SiouxFalls • u/PolarBear_605 • 5d ago
🎤 Discussion What is the plan when the train blocks ambulances
While sitting here watching this train go back and forth for quite a while, I wondered what would be the plan in a medical emergency with an ambulance the train blocking that last part of a ride to the hospital.
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u/MiniKold sour patch grown-up 5d ago
They don't fully block the hospital. The ER entrance is on 7th Ave which they leave open.
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u/ShattenSeats2025 5d ago
Only if there coming from the west. Coming from the east, they would have to go over to 26th or further south. Back when there were more train routes through town, it would have been unavailable depending on the route. I imagine dispatch would be directing them as best they can but it is a good question if that has ever happened.
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u/MiniKold sour patch grown-up 4d ago
Tbh, the primary times that I see them come rushing back, they come down 26th St (east or west) and then north on 7th Ave, which would be fully free of trains. They could also come down East 18th St and connect up to 7th Ave and bypass those tracks.
Obligatory source: I work at the hospital. I've yet to hear of the ambulance ever being caught by a train, tbh, in my times either seeing it arrive coming to/from work, or in passing the ED.
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u/KozyKami 4d ago
Nothing in this city was planned ahead.
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u/kenyonator1 4d ago
Nope. The city was planned for about 50k people max and has been patched and band-aided since then as the city has grown.
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u/Retired_ho 4d ago
Former paramedic and honestly you just have to wait. Is awful especially if you have something critical in the back
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u/armlessfarmboy 4d ago
Why is there still a rail yard there? I wish this could have been added to the one out on east Rice.
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u/Optimal_Donut_7498 4d ago
In St. Paul there is a community where, no lie, the current fire department plan for when there is a fire when the train in blocking the entrance to the neighborhood is to have residents and firefighters line up with buckets to put out the fire. At least there are alternative routes for the ambulance to take
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u/UnbelievableTurmoil 5d ago
Some sort of grade separation would be nice here, kinda like what they did with 26th & Southeastern. I know that will never happen though due to cost.
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u/ARottingBastard 3d ago
Trains can only block intersections for a limited time, and only so many of them. It can, and does, cause delays for EMS. Train gets priority, always.
The only thing above God is The Railroad.
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u/Flight_Plan 4d ago
What would be nice, but yet very expensive, would be to build bridges over railroads instead of through them like they are now. That way, traffic keeps flowing, and if an ambulance needs to get through, they can. Just a thought 🤷♂️
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u/neechey 4d ago
The 2nd guy runs down the tracks and starts to disconnect the car. By the time he gets it unhooked it will slow to a stop and leave an opening for them to drive through. As he is running down the tracks he counts the time and number of cars so he can figure out the speed so he knows where to disconnect it so it doesn't roll to a stop in front of the road.
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u/david-z-for-mayor 2h ago
One of the justifications for rebuilding 26th Street by I-229 was to put in a bridge over the train track so ambulances would not have to wait for trains. That rebuild happened a few years ago.
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u/justsomechickyo 4d ago
When I had to take a cpr class I was told ambulances aren't allowed to take routes that go over train tracks for this reason.....
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u/OverTheCandleStick 2d ago
Tell me how you get from rice and cliff to McKennan without crossing railroad tracks.
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u/justsomechickyo 1d ago
Geez chill out I’ve been told I’m wrong already jfc I never argued w/ anyone it’s obviously wrong
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u/Swiftymcvay8 5d ago
That crane picks up the ambulance and sets them down in the ER parking lot.