97/06 stuck at RVR

[crescent2]

It depends a lot on how often such events are experienced in that locality and how readily a coroner is available.
On the NEC, where several hundred of these events take place each year, some times more than one in a single day, .....

Just wow. I'm always amazed at how many people put themselves in the path of trains. Are these mostly accidental, or mostly intentional? If mostly accidental, would more fencing and/or better crossing gates help? And with so many people being struck, there's probably a lot of animals lost, too. (Or maybe they have better sense.) Very sad for all involved in any case.

 

[Ryan]

Crossing gates aren't really a problem on the NEC.

Fencing isn't really practical both from a "you'd need a really long fence" and "you'd need a really indestructible fence, because people just climb/jump/tear down anything that isn't bulletproof" perspective.

People that want to commit suicide are going to find a way to do it. Sucks for the train crews involved, but there really isn't much to be done to deter someone that's hell bent on destroying themselves.

You can make a dent of accidental strikes by education and identifying trouble spots and taking corrective action where possible. But at the end of the day, people are terrible at judging risks and will always take the chance because of the "it'll never happen to me" mentality.

 

[crescent2]

So true. If someone wants to do something, they'll usually find a way.

I was thinking of pedestrian crossings at stations, but maybe there aren't many of those on the NEC, either.

Thanks, Ryan.

 

[Ryan]

There are very, very few (if any), it's mostly bridges or tunnels.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

There are very, very few (if any), it's mostly bridges or tunnels.

NRK is one w/o bridge or tunnel. Of course it has a limited # of trains stopping there

 

[MikefromCrete]

Not to mention the local police, railroad police, etc. In addition, operating train crew members must be taken off duty for drug testing, etc., and replaced by a new crew.

FRA regulations specifically prohibit drug and alcohol testing of railroad crews involved in crossing accidents & trespasser strikes, even those involving fatalities. The only exception would be if a member of the crew actually exhibited signs & symptoms of being impaired.

Perhaps replacing the crew is a Metra regulation. The conductor made it clear that a new crew had to be called to move the train.

 

[NW cannonball]

Not to mention the local police, railroad police, etc. In addition, operating train crew members must be taken off duty for drug testing, etc., and replaced by a new crew.

FRA regulations specifically prohibit drug and alcohol testing of railroad crews involved in crossing accidents & trespasser strikes, even those involving fatalities. The only exception would be if a member of the crew actually exhibited signs & symptoms of being impaired.

Regulations prohibit d&a testing -- no no no no -- prohibit testing by local law enforcement. Every NTSB accident report I've ever seen includes results of d&a testing of the operating crew. It is a matter of jurisdiction, not of exemption from testing.

 

[Acela150]

There are very, very few (if any), it's mostly bridges or tunnels.

I can name at least one station that has a Pedestrian Crossing, and it's outside of the NEC.

Alexandria, VA.

Washington Union Station has crossing for use of Employees only. i.e. Red Caps, Baggage Carts.

 

[Anderson]

RVR has a crossing as well, at least over some of the tracks (to get to the other tracks). At OSC, we've often got to cross tracks to get to the proper side of the ex-CBQ main as well. Such crossings are not uncommon outside of the largest cities, especially considering the expense in constructing an ADA-compliant bridge or tunnel for a station with onl a few thousand passengers per year.

 

[Ryan]

I'm sure that there are many off the NEC.

Crescent2's question was about the NEC, which is why my reply focused there.

 

[afigg]

NRK is one w/o bridge or tunnel. Of course it has a limited # of trains stopping there

Newark DE will be getting a new station with high level platforms, so the crossing of the outer track to board the stopped Regional will go away. But that is a situation where passengers are supposed to only cross a track when a train is stopped and the tracks are blocked from through traffic.
From what I have noted, the SEPTA stations on the NEC with the short low level platforms are where a fair share of the trespasser fatalities take place. There are fences in the middle of the 4 tracks to block from crossing the tracks, but there are those who try to take shortcuts across the tracks and walk around or go over the fence. The long range plans are to upgrade all the SEPTA NEC stops to high level platforms. The prospect of climbing down from a 4' high platform, getting around the fence and then climbing up on the high platform on the other side will greatly reduce the number of people taking shortcuts at the SEPTA stops.

More robust fencing at the known illegal crossing points, upgrading all the remaining stations on the NEC to high level platforms will reduce the number of trespasser fatalities on the NEC. There will still be suicides, but I can see the development of software that scans the surveillance camera video of people on the platforms for behavior, mannerisms that indicate they may be potential suicides and alerts the station staff or on-duty police. Big brotherist, for sure, but welcome to the 21st century.

 

[crescent2]

Interesting info, thanks afigg!

 

[DET63]

RVR has a crossing as well, at least over some of the tracks (to get to the other tracks).

Useful to know in case someone wants to play chicken there.

 

[DET63]

Can anyone explain to me why trespasser incidents cause such long delays. I know they need to investigate but what does that have to do with the train. The railroad could pass out a placard to engineers with
I was going ______ MPH

I saw someone on the tracks about _____ feet ahead

I did/did not lay on the horn

I did/did not slam on the breaks.

I hit someone.

The victim is/is not my brother-in-law with whom I've been feuding.

Seriously, why does this take the 4 or 5 hours that everyone seems to accept as normal. They certainly don't leave the victim lying on the tracks all that time.

I believe there are video recorders and/or "black-box" type devices that are supposed to get that information automatically (well, except for the question about the brother-in-law, of course).

 

[DET63]

So far the only response to my question that makes any sense, to me anyway, is the need to relieve the crew; and I realize that can take a while. The bit about police and coroner is obvious, but begs the question. Maybe I should have rephrased my question to ask why the authorities hold the train for so long.

"In the heat of the Night"/"Reno 911"/Barney Fife/the Dodge Sheriff etc. Some of these folks aren't the Sharpest Arrows in the Quiver Paul! And lots of the So Called Medical Examiners/Coroners/JPs are Political Hacks with NO Training or Expertise! And as they say in Alabama in the Summer, "Whats the Rush, it'll still be Hot Tomorrow!" <_<

Reality is rarely as it's depicted in the movies or on TV. Quincy, CSI, Law & Order, etc., make the investigative process look a lot more systematic and efficient than it really is.

Useful information to have if you ever plant to whack someone, I suppose.