Fatality on 29(4)

[KnightRail]

I dont understand why in built up areas the train companies arent legally required to fence off the rails, I get due to the vastness of the states it would be impossible to fence them off completely but in towns and cities it would be possible, we manage it in Europe and have far more miles of tracks in cities.

i don't understand why that should be a requirement. We do not legal require a fence around the ocean to keep people from drowning(although around these parts, you do have to fence in your backyard if you have a pool,). Nor do we legally require every road to have a fence around it except at designated crossings. Why should you single out a train, which is on a dedicated right of way.

And when the Right of Way is fenced off, trespassers just vandalize and cut the fence anyway. Canadian Pacific just tweeted about this subject including a picture last week. If these people want to get on the tracks they will find a way to do so with or without a fence.

Our police are out telling trespassers that cutting a fence could cut your life short #RSW2016 #SeeTracksThinkTrain pic.twitter.com/aMSgZUV6Ys Canadian Pacific (@CanadianPacific) April 29, 2016

 

[Ryan]

Time to apply some high voltage to the fence. It may still kill the idiots, but at least it won't delay the train when they do...

 

[AmtrakLKL]

Yesterday, 92 struck a trespasser south of Jacksonville and Tri-Rail struck a trespasser at Ft. Lauderdale.

If we extrapolate our one day observation in Florida, we are clearly on track to have 730 trespasser strikes in Florida alone in the next 365 days. :giggle:

 

[me_little_me]

Out of control train leaves tracks and chases down innocent pedestrian! Tape @ 11!!!

Not at the station I watch:

"Anchor 1: "Once again, a poor victim was run down by a train"

Anchor 2: "And this seems to be happening every day! So we have a live report from Joe Pseudoreporter on the scene followed by our rail expert. Joe, are you there?"

[Joe has just finished talking privately to the conductor whom he addressed as Mr. Engineer and got an explanation about which vehicle was the train and why it couldn't go off the tracks to avoid the accident. He had to quickly learn what to say]

Joe: "Behind me is where the train earlier today hit the unidentified victim who was just trying to get to the store without having to take a detour". [Note, it is the 11PM news so it is pitch black outside so you see absolutely nothing but a glint of track because the only light is from the camera showing a closeup of Joe wearing clothing provided by sponsors listed at the end of the news show. Scene now switches to noon that day about an hour after the accident.]

Joe: "The police are still investigating" [scene of blue lights, ambulance, a few officers talking in the background with no sound and some scenes of the engine sitting there. Closeup of engine's logo. Pictures obviously taken with telephoto lens as 'reporter' didn't want to see any actual blood but cameraman got picture of some dried blood which might have come from a dead animal hit by a car last week]

[Joe goes on to paraphrase the conductor so he looks like he knows what he is talking about]

Joe: "We will keep you abreast of this story. Tune in to WSLEAZE.com beginning at 4:30AM or download our app for your phone to get the latest."

Back to Anchors.

Anchor 2: "Retired CSX executive Ima Western is with us today to give an explanation as to why so many people get killed by trains when they are hit"

Anchor 1: "Mr. Western, is there any reason why trains can't use something like the old cow catchers to knock people gently out of the way?"

[Explanation by Mr. Western as to why it is technically impossible, ridiculously expensive, impractical and would not work anyway]

Anchor 2: [After cutting off the expert] "Thank you, Mr. Western."

 

[FormerOBS]

Love it: "cow catchers to knock people gently out of the way."

"Cow catchers" (the correct term is pilot) were designed to prevent a cow, bison, horse, hog, buggy, hay wagon, tractor, or person from getting caught under a train and causing damage or derailment because body parts are not where they should be. There was never anything gentle about it. In the best cases, legs were broken and/or bodies were flung violently in some unpredictable direction. In other cases, the person/animal/vehicle/other was ripped to bits. The pilots usually worked, although sometimes they didn't. Usually they prevented derailments or serious damage to the train as a result of the impact. That's a pretty rousing success, although the person or thing struck probably didn't think so.

Amtrak P42's have permanently mounted snowplow pilots year-round. A successful and happy trip is one in which snow is the worst obstacle.

Tom