Tragedy averted by outstanding engineer

[ValleyX]

Not to sound like a top this but I've seen this happen twice, once on a parallel track where alcohol was probably THE contributing factor, and once in front of a train that I was running and yes, I got stopped, too, but I didn't receive any accolades for it. However, the individual I got stopped for, who mistook the railroad for a street in afterdark conditions, had it clearly stamped on her drivers' license that she suffered from night blindness and was restricted to driving in daylight hours only.

[Anonymous]

trains are dangerous things.

Even an unimpressive DMU that is waiting in the station turns into a wild beast out on the open that makes your breath stop when it run right by you on the open.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ValorStorm

They could've had a lot of snow, which could've made the tracks difficult to distinguish for a really, really OLD woman...
"And she's NOT a woman, she's a MAN! And you COULD say 'DENNIS'!"

Dennis, There's some lovely filth down here !...[;)]

[paulstecyna21]

that is really outstading and that engineer should get some time off

[Anonymous]

Maybe the engineer was the about to hog out and looking for the driver from Renzenberger?

[jockellis]

G'day, Y'all,
With a last name like Ng, she is probably oriental so asking if she is blond would be dumb on my part. However, I know for a fact that a woman in deep south Florida was heading to the nearby dog racing track and wound up in the south Georgia town of Blackshear not too far from the Atlantic coast before she stopped to ask for directions. Maybe men are not the only ones directionally challenged. Personally, I've driven down some city dirt streets in Waycross, Georgia that could fool someone blindfolded into thinking he was on a RR track. Maybe they are the same in that area.
Jock Ellis
Cumming, GA US of A
Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers

[CSXrules4eva]

I did hear a case one time when an older lady turned onto the railroad tracks thinking it was a road. The police saw her and do you know she asked the police officers "Is this the Boulevard?" Guess what? Wouldn't you know it as soon as the cops got her and her car off the railroad tracks a train came. Man wasn't see lucky. She also doesn't need to be driving in her condition, right then and there it was time for her driver's license to get revoked. I worry about some people.......sometimes.........................

[ChrisBARailfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by coborn35

I am just wondering. Hows was the engineer outstanding?

Because as another poster mentioned, seconds count, if the engineer or conductor have hesitated for just a few seconds this still could have been much worse situation. According to live TV reports the train stopped less than 25 ft. from the car with the woman frozen with fear inside. With the distance it takes a train to stop 25 ft. is nothing more than several seconds of reaction time.

The engineer saw a situation and did not hesitate to stop the train as fast as he or she could and that makes them outstanding. I did not say that the engineer was unique or a hero, as he or she did what hundreds of other hoggers would have done put in the same position.

BTW, as others have posted alcohol is suspected to have played a part in getting stuck on the tracks in the first place.

[ValorStorm]

They could've had a lot of snow, which could've made the tracks difficult to distinguish for a really, really OLD woman...
"And she's NOT a woman, she's a MAN! And you COULD say 'DENNIS'!"

[Anonymous]

Actually, in Lubbock, TX. you will quite often see paved or gravel roads running along side of RR Tracks. I'm not making an excuse for the woman, I just understand how that could be possible. And no, I've never done that.

[coborn35]

I am just wondering. Hows was the engineer outstanding?

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

I know streets can be pretty rough but.....

Really!!

How messed up does one need to be that they cannot tell the difference between a road and railroad tracks?!?

I can just imagine what the engineer thought when he saw the car ("What the hell....?")

[AlcoRS11Nut]

how could u mistake railroad tracks for a road?....

[espeefoamer]

Another Darwin award narrowly averted!

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BaltACD

Would that disoriented drivers turning onto railroad tracks was an isolated occurence. It is not. The woman is luck beyond belief.

Note to anyone that has this happen to the.....CONTACT THE RAILROAD FIRST...FIRST...FIRST.....It takes time for emergency communications to get to the appropriate people (Dispatcher & Train Crews) for the territory involved....ever second is critical.

Mysteriously, the chances of this happening seems to increase just after closing time at the local bar and saloon.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BaltACD

Note to anyone that has this happen to them.....CONTACT THE RAILROAD FIRST...FIRST...FIRST.....

Unfortunately, unlike a great portion of forum participants, this woman probably didn't have the RR emergency number programmed into her phone.

[Mookie]

I know streets can be pretty rough but.....

[BaltACD]

Would that disoriented drivers turning onto railroad tracks was an isolated occurence. It is not. The woman is luck beyond belief.

Note to anyone that has this happen to the.....CONTACT THE RAILROAD FIRST...FIRST...FIRST.....It takes time for emergency communications to get to the appropriate people (Dispatcher & Train Crews) for the territory involved....ever second is critical.

[ChrisBARailfan]

http://www.kctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4253235

"Close Call on Train Tracks
Dec 16, 2005, 06:57 AM CST

OLATHE, Kan. -- A woman driving home made a wrong turn and realized she didn't just take the wrong street, she was actually driving right down the railroad tracks!

The woman told police that when she realized she was on the tracks, she tried to back up, but her car stalled.

She then froze as she saw a train coming right at her.

Lucky for her, an Olathe police officer was right there. He turned on his flashing lights and the train was able to stop, just before smashing into her.

Fred Ng, the driver's husband told KCTV5 News, "The train operator saw the lights on the police car and stopped the train. Thank God for that. Otherwise it would have been a bad scene."

Luckily, the train was traveling slower than usual.

Officials said if it had been travelling at its normal speed, there'S no way it could have stopped in time."

Lady should be thankful that alot went right to save her life.