General Discussion

Not the usual Amtrak trip

http://www.ktvu.com/news/19943590/detail.html

Just gotta get on those tracks....

From the linked article [emphasis added - PDN]:

"In both incidents it appears the victims were trespassing on the tracks.

Union Pacific spokeswoman Zoe Richmond said Union Pacific police will assist in the investigation into both fatal crashes."

The word "crashes" is used several times in the article - go figure !

It's not full moon yet - something in the water out there ?  i-Pods involved ?  Suicides ? (both were mid-day)  Or just Darwin's Law applying itself to the gene pool ? 

 - PDN.

In this months installment of TRAINS, I forget who the author was, but he said "The public can't get enough of Amtrak." Well, this reinforces that point.

Seriously though, My thoughts go out to the victoms familys. Also, the ancor says "We don't know if the same operator was in the train in the second collision." What the heck does that have to do with anything? Surely Amtrak replaced the engineer.

P.S. The article noted (paraphrased) After the FIRST accident, the crew was replaced, it was another crew incharge when the SECOND incident occurred.

"California" It seems to hold onto strange folks, exhibiting bazar behaviors,must be something in the air and warter out there.IMHO

samfp1943:

P.S. The article noted (paraphrased) After the FIRST accident, the crew was replaced, it was another crew incharge when the SECOND incident occurred.

"

Oh sorry. I guess I just missunderstood. I also send out my thoughts and prayrs to the two engineers that hit these 2 people. I know it is horribly hard to get over something like that.

bubbajustin:

samfp1943:

P.S. The article noted (paraphrased) After the FIRST accident, the crew was replaced, it was another crew incharge when the SECOND incident occurred.

"

Oh sorry. I guess I just missunderstood. I also send out my thoughts and prayrs to the two engineers that hit these 2 people. I know it is horribly hard to get over something like that.

Justin just because you hit and kill someone does not mean you get relieved, its up to the crew if they want relieved and the amount of time left over to complete the run. In all my wrecks ive been relieved 2 times and due to taking several hours to finish up the investigation.

wabash1:

bubbajustin:

samfp1943:

P.S. The article noted (paraphrased) After the FIRST accident, the crew was replaced, it was another crew incharge when the SECOND incident occurred.

"

Oh sorry. I guess I just missunderstood. I also send out my thoughts and prayrs to the two engineers that hit these 2 people. I know it is horribly hard to get over something like that.

Justin just because you hit and kill someone does not mean you get relieved, its up to the crew if they want relieved and the amount of time left over to complete the run. In all my wrecks ive been relieved 2 times and due to taking several hours to finish up the investigation.

Oh really? I didn't know that. I just figured that you would feel so awful the railroad would replace you. I assume before the train leaves the seen thay will "clean it up" if you know what I mean. So the crew are the ones who decide to be relived ok. Thanks for the info!

Justin

And then a 3rd - around 9;00 AM Sunday morning, at Jack London Square -

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/05/BAJ518JGA3.DTL 

This report seems to say that it was likely a suicide, as well as at least 1 of the others from Friday.  Report also acknowledges that all 3 were trespassers on the tracks.

 Not much to say about this - obviously a tragedy for all involved.  Suicide is a complex subject, and prevention, intervention, and treatment are beyond our scope here, but to force others - the train's crew - to be the unwilling cause/ instrumentality of the victim's death is just wrong.  Thoughts and prayers for peace and comfort for the 'other victims' - the locomotive crew, and condolences to the deceased's family.

- Paul North.

The reality of road train and engine service is not 'if' they will be involved in a incident that ends someones life but 'when'.  The railroad environment has more than enough dangers for those who are employed by it and educated in all the potential hazards.  The general public is clueless.

I'll not argue with 'The general public is clueless' - that's why there are 'accidents' that are pretty much random.

But here it was the result of deliberate and intentional acts- just the opposite, actually, because these people did have a clue, and knew exactly what they were doing - apparently in at least 1 and possibly 2 of these 3 events.  

That's what I'm concerned with - the suicides just add to the inevitable burden on the crews from the other 'accidental' incidents, in all likelihood.  I'm not cynical enough to think that the crews are totally unaffected by any of these events, even if there was nothing that could have been practically done to prevent them - the crews still saw it, and have to live with the knowledge of what happened.  There are no 'freebies' with incidents such as these, and they take a toll after a time.  If some troubled individual feels compelled to end their life voluntarily and prematurely, they should choose another method or means or manner that doesn't utilize innocent railroaders - who are just doing their job to earn a living - as the proximate cause of their imminent demise.

- Paul North.

Paul_D_North_Jr:

If some troubled individual feels compelled to end their life voluntarily and prematurely, they should choose another method or means or manner that doesn't utilize innocent railroaders - who are just doing their job to earn a living - as the proximate cause of their imminent demise.

And they do, be it "suicide by cop" or wrapping their vehicle around an immovable object.

It occurs to me that a part of the issue is that perhaps the railroad no longer has a public "face".  All the public sees is large objects moving at speed.  With no one to feel bad about involving with their plans (ie, the crew), it might be a lot easier.

Then again, I think I recall reading of such episodes even back in the "golden age" of railroading, when the railroads did have a public face.  Some people are simply determined to go through with their plans.