luxstang
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2010
- Messages
- 6,624
- Reaction score
- 101
- Location
- Luxembourg / Europe
- My Car
- 1972 Mustang Convertible
Hi Guys,
So I was standing in front of that railway crossing and the gates did not open after the train had passed. Remember I'm a dispatcher with the railway company, so I know how fast those things are supposed to open.
So I decided to take different road to get home. For that, I had to back up a little and back into a field to turn the car around, as the road was too narrow to allow for a 72 Mustang to make a U-turn.
Basically a good idea, just in my case I did not know that the slope was narrower than the opening and that there was a ditch right beside it and so I ended up with the car lying flat on it's belly with the rear wheels hovering in the air!
Looked like this:
Front view:
I called friend of mine who works for the town for help and he told me to hang on, he'd be there in two minutes. Well it took him exactly 3 minutes to show up with a guy driving a shovel excavator. We hooked a heavy chain to the front of the car and pulled it out.
Exactly 6 minutes had passed in between the phone call and the car standing on the road on all fours again!!!!
I was lucky that neither my friend, nor the driver, nor the excavator were busy in some other part of town. They were all on standby at their headquarters. Otherwise, I'd have had to stand there for half an eternity.
Looks like no harm was done to the car. I did not heck in detail, but it looks good. The exhaust hasn't come loose, the rocker panels are ok, just a little grass and dirt stuck to the exhaust clamps.
I was lucky I guess.
By the way, needless to say the other guys standing in front of the gates had a good laugh at my expense........
Oh and the gates did not open for another 30 minutes I was told later!
So I was standing in front of that railway crossing and the gates did not open after the train had passed. Remember I'm a dispatcher with the railway company, so I know how fast those things are supposed to open.
So I decided to take different road to get home. For that, I had to back up a little and back into a field to turn the car around, as the road was too narrow to allow for a 72 Mustang to make a U-turn.
Basically a good idea, just in my case I did not know that the slope was narrower than the opening and that there was a ditch right beside it and so I ended up with the car lying flat on it's belly with the rear wheels hovering in the air!
Looked like this:
Front view:
I called friend of mine who works for the town for help and he told me to hang on, he'd be there in two minutes. Well it took him exactly 3 minutes to show up with a guy driving a shovel excavator. We hooked a heavy chain to the front of the car and pulled it out.
Exactly 6 minutes had passed in between the phone call and the car standing on the road on all fours again!!!!
I was lucky that neither my friend, nor the driver, nor the excavator were busy in some other part of town. They were all on standby at their headquarters. Otherwise, I'd have had to stand there for half an eternity.
Looks like no harm was done to the car. I did not heck in detail, but it looks good. The exhaust hasn't come loose, the rocker panels are ok, just a little grass and dirt stuck to the exhaust clamps.
I was lucky I guess.
By the way, needless to say the other guys standing in front of the gates had a good laugh at my expense........
Oh and the gates did not open for another 30 minutes I was told later!