NJ Transit has hit 4 pedestrians in 2 days, killing 3 of the 4. All the tresspassers were under age 18. In one incident, a 12 year old ducked under a down gate after the westbound went by, only to get hit by an eastbound on the other track. The other three , ages 17, 16, and 15 were walking on a trestle. Two of the three on the bridge were killed.
The trestle incident really got me. That particular line has no scheduled trains on Sundays (the day the incident occured). NJ Transit was making an equipment move to service the trains to get them ready for the next morning's rush hour. The parents response: "We know the kids walk on the bridge. Everyone knows it is safe on a Sunday because no trains run. " (Obviously one did. A railroad can run anything it wants at any time). "NJ Transit should improve security so that the kids couldn't get on the bridge." "They were good kids" (They are always good kids)
Come on people. Take responsibility fory your actions. Think of the poor engineers who killed three kids. Maybe some of them have kids of their own. As for added security, how about armed guards at the ends of all bridges with guns? A train occupies a 10' wide space. A passenger train occupies that space for about 30 seconds. If you feel the need to occupy that space at the same time as the train, you get what you deserve. It was your decision to be on those tracks. Now take responsibility for suffering maybe not so nice consequences as a result.
A harsh title of a thread for very sad incidents.
Public awareness of the dangers of rail traffic seems to be extremely low in a country, where trains are not so much a part of your every day life. This is the area which needs to be worked on - in families, schools and communities. Tracks are no place for play and leisure.
I don´t share your conclusion of those poor kids getting what they deserved.
Yes, pajrr, your points are all valid and often spoken when something like this happens. When parent''s attitudes are such as this, it is no wonder kids think nothing of walking on tracks and bridges like this. Railroads are private property whether owned by the state or a private enterprise. Railroads are dangerous property whether trains run or not. What would these same people say if anyone and everyone came tramping through their yards whenever they wanted? I am sure the consequences would become just as ugly because rather than Mr. Diesels machine doing the damage, Messers Colt, Smith, and Wesson's machines would.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
This morning's (Wed, 10/5/11) NJ newspapers are running stories indicating officials are looking at ways to modify the situation at Wayne, NJ. Mother of one of the victims said she often warned her son about using the railroad bridge as a short cut to the nearby Mall. At that point there are two major highways side by side with probably 12 to 20 lanes of traffic in about 100 or so feet without provison for a safe crossing by pedestrians...the rail bridge being the only way across without dodging automobiles. Highway officials say there are no plans for a footbridge across the highway. It appears to me that the NJT state DOT and other state and municipal officials have been lax in thier duties to provide for the safety of the local population. The rail line appears to be the best chance of getting from on side of the roads to the other.
Education will have to play a larger role in reducing the use of the rail right of way as a footpath. But so should a foot bridge across the highways at this point. The New York and Greenwood Lake Railroad was built throgh there in the 1800's, When Routes 46 and 23 were built to four lanes and a traffic circle built at that location in the late 30's the single track railroad was raised onto a fill embankment with short bridges over each of the two two lanes of Rt. 46. When Rt 46 was widened and I80 built, only longer bridges were built for the railroad. Pedestrians along Rt 23 were not accomodated. The large mall right there increased auto, bus, and pedistrian traffic with no further accomodation for pedestrians. Probably it is the quality of educational wanrings from Operation Lifesaver and parents up to now that has kept this railroad walking path as free from tragedy until now.
Looks like more than a footbridge-required situation.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl (type in Wayne, N.J. and then satellite view - couldn't get specific view to "stick")
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/03/two-teens-dead-after-being-struck-by-nj-transit-train/
jclass (10-8):
Is this the bridge? If it is, it is terrifyingly scary just thinking about being on it!
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wayne,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.920223,-74.284543&spn=0.001421,0.003259&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=48.421237,106.787109&vpsrc=6&hnear=Wayne,+Passaic,+New+Jersey&t=h&z=19
You can link a specific location by using the Google link button icon on the upper right of the screen and copying the resultant link and pasting it onto your post.
Hopes this helps.
Best,
K.P.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
It looks as if the victims on the bridge ended up suffering the results of the local government's stupidity.
Here in Sin City the local authorities have recently installed several long, expensive pedestrian bridges across congested streets at places where the local pedestrians had been playing dodge-em cars with traffic. So, if the authorities are paying attention, there is a cure.
In every place where I've owned a home, the homeowner was responsible for providing a sidewalk - even in places where the passing pedestrian count was only fractionally greater than zero. Isn't there some similar legal provision for pedestrians along publicly-owned thoroughfares. If there isnt, maybe there should be.
Chuck
No, this is not the bridge...the bridge in question is several miles east of this point and crosses Routes I80 and then US46...the bridge in the picture seems to be one of the many crossings of the Passaic River.
I ride that particular line every day and live nearby.
A bit of geography, that bridge spans three highways at a point where they converge, (Interstate 80, State Route 46, and State Highway 23.) The shopping mall built at the site has pedestrian access only from the east with none from the north, south, or west.
It would be close to impossible to walk across any of the highways.
A few years ago I witnessed an amazing event on the line just east of those bridges. A man was sitting on the railroad tracks when my New Jersey Transit train was westbound in the evening. We felt the brakes apply and as I was sitting across the aisle from a deadheading employee, heard the whole thing on his radio.
The train stopped in time to avoid hitting the man. There was an hotel next to the tracks and a uniformed police officer was at the hotel responding to another call. He climbed the embankment and arrested the man.
I never learned why he was sitting on the tracks. It may have been drugs, attempted suicide, or simply stupidity.
The whole incident was over in ten minutes and we were on our way.
Gotta love it.
Kevin
tomikawaTT In every place where I've owned a home, the homeowner was responsible for providing a sidewalk - even in places where the passing pedestrian count was only fractionally greater than zero. Isn't there some similar legal provision for pedestrians along publicly-owned thoroughfares. If there isnt, maybe there should be. Chuck
Out where I live, the public right-of-way in residential neighborhoods extends beyond the edge of the street to include what is commonly referred to as the public sidewalk. The municipality is responsible for the placement and maintenance of that sidewalk.
I can attest to the brain power of some people. I used to do some vounteering at Roaring Camp Railroad Park in Felton, Ca. And some people do not understand how trains operate. When Thomas the Tank Engine was there this summer we(my girlfriend & I)were assisting in crowd control on the narrow gauge track where the Logging trains and the parking lot shuttle train loaded and unloaded. Thomas is on the standard gauge line(old S.P. Suntan line to Santa Cruz boardwalk) and the only thing keeping folks back is a metal barricade. Well, when the Star of the show (thomas) pulled in, any child under 12 was grabbing at the barracade screaming "Thomas! as loud as possible. Now the barrier is about 2 feet from the narrow gauge track. And we were running a shuttle train with a 12 ton steamer from a sugar cane plaintation in hawaii which is over 100 years old. Now the other end is a Plymouth switcher and about four passenger cars which are flat cars converted to open bench cars. Now for the rest of the story: A woman was standing near the tracks, saw her kids looking at you know who and decided to walk up to the barrcide to talk to her kids. At this time, comming down the track was that little teakettle(said with love) and she started to walk in front of said loco! We(my lady & I) yelled to "GET OFF THE TRACK,LADY!!!!! At this point, the engineer was laying on the whistle like the voice of doom!!!!! She looks up, And had an Oh S##T look on her face. She stopped short of the track, Giving both of us and the engineer a near heart attack!!!! We were wondering where these people are thinking ??? You will be susprised how many folks do not understand that a loco cannot stop on a dime! It is a wonder more folks are not getting the Darwin Award for their actions. Oh, as an aside: The engineer was soo shook up after the above event, when he put the steamer away for the night he climbed on the running board to shut off the whistle valve and slipped off. He messed his back up. He normally shut it off by reaching thru the cab window to do it. I think the shake up was cause for his action. Getting back to people not being aware: They do not have a clue as to what a loco with a load can do. They underestmate what the train can and cannot do, like stopping quickly. Just my two cents....
I just found out tonight that a very good friend of a friend of mine was the engineer involved in the fatality with the two boys. There was a thread about the incident on another forum, and the engineer posted about how the boy who was not killed accused the engineer of not trying to stop, but did not reveal that he was the one involved. I give him credit and the utmost respect for standing up for himself and having the courage to discuss such a life-changing event.
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
It is common to put all attention to those killed or injured in such incidents and not take into account those who work for the railraod, especially aboard the trains and especially the engineer. Often there is a livelyhood if not a life lost there, too. A person involved either as the driver of the train, his supervisors and others on the railroad who are involved.certainly have their lives changed in some way by such an incident. Many engineers have soldiered on whle others have walked away. It is a life changing experience which is slowly being recognized and treated as such and not thought to be just part of the job.
ns3010 I just found out tonight that a very good friend of a friend of mine was the engineer involved in the fatality with the two boys. There was a thread about the incident on another forum, and the engineer posted about how the boy who was not killed accused the engineer of not trying to stop, but did not reveal that he was the one involved. I give him credit and the utmost respect for standing up for himself and having the courage to discuss such a life-changing event.
Without reading what your friend posted in his own defense, my suggestion and advice is that he keep his story off of any public forum. It is obviously not his fault, but the problem with such cases is that if it comes to a lawsuit (and I'd bet my bottom dollar that it will), the jury too often rules against the defendant because the defendant has deeper pockets. But if your friend gets sued along with the railroad, any comment he makes without council from his lawyer could come back to bite him. I myself have two fatalities and this was the advice I received from the company legal department. Getting involved in such an incident sucks, but getting screwed in the process is even worse.
The logical probability of the statement that stupid people taking responsibility for their actions is nil because they are stupid. A non starter. Tragedy is tragedy regardless of IQ.
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.