Some People......

[chad thomas]

Everybody knows that trains turn there lights off all the time. Just like airplanes as soon as they get out of there terminal off go the lights. After all, trains can't stop before hitting a car in a crossing so what's the point of having lights on to see anyway.

[coborn35]

In light of the recent apperance of many grade crossing accident posts, i decide to share a little story an enginner once told me while we were sitting in the cab of D.M.I.R. SD18 #193. He worked for the Burlington Northern for a long time and that is where this story comes from. (by the way, the #193 is owned by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum) His name is Frank Christopherson.

He was the lead engineer on a train going through basically nowhere somewhere in MN. It was about 2:00 in the morning and he had all his lights on (ditch and main).He came up on a grade crossing and did all he proper whistles and such and saw a car coming. At 2:00 in the morning on a remote part of the state. Anyway... He is coming fast on the grade crossing and as he is about to enter it, the car goes in. He hits the car and the knuckle goes right through the side. The car spins into a ditch and sits there.
Now this is back in the days of cabooses, (but not steam) so he radios the conductor and then he stops the caboose at the spot where the car is.Then the conductor sizes up the situation and radios the crew and says, "we need somebody to wade in there ad get her out". There is a small discussion among the crew and then (unwillingly) the brakeman wades out and gets her. By that time an ambulance had arrived(with much trouble i might add) and takes her away. The train departs.

A couple weeks later, a lawyer comes the Franks door and questions Frank about it. The lawyer accuses Frank of some things.(cant remember what)
Then Frank is starting to get agitated so when the lawyer says "You didnt have your lights on", Frank, quick as a bullet, goes " Your right, it was 2:00 im the morning and pitch black out, no moon, and i shut the lights off to save energy"[;)]
The lawyer left after that.
Then Frank says to me as we pull into the station, " I should have countersued for harassment"[:D]

Talk about stupidity!