I know Amtrak #50 had a three-hour delay due to an unruly passenger who asaulted the crew near Dwyer, Indiana afer leaving Chicago last night. It arrived in Indy at 3:20 a.m. today (nearly 4 hours late) but when I check on the status of it east of Cincy, it merely states "Service disruption". Anyone know anything about what happened to it after leaving Indy?
For a moment there, I thought you were going to ask why it was running on time.
I have a seen a few similar situations where something cause a major delay to a train and a similar message was posted even though the train was underway and not getting further delays.
Was the passenger mad because they wouldn't take him to Muncie?
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
The woman passenger became belligerent because she was loud and unruly in the bar car and they cut her off. She then ran through the train shouting threats and racial slurs. The crew restrained her by borrowing shoe laces from passengers and tying her hands behind her (why don't train crews have something on board to restrain a passenger until police arrive?). She kicked crew members causing cuts and bruises and when police in Dwyer were called and alerted that they were bringing in a case, the idiot 911 dispatcher said "This doesn't sound like much of an emergency" (!!!!). The Dwyer police found out otherwise when she assaulted them and they only sudued her by threatening to use a Taser on her.
By the way, her final destination WAS Rushville, not Muncie.
...I was just going to ask, why Muncie....? Are we noted for that....
Quentin
I was a little tongue in cheek.
Such things happen and it is a pain for everybody, especially given there will always be a delay. I was on the Empire Builder last spring when a passenger was arrested for disorderly conduct at Wisconsin Dells. Put us 30 minutes off the card.
I think some conductors may carry plastic ties to use as restraints.
....My response, tonque in cheek too. By the way, all public transportation units should have avail those plastic ties, as they're certainly up to the job until law inforcement takes over....
I got a chuckle out of Muncie, too!
Soused already, just from Chicago to Dyer (I assume that Dyer is what was meant--I can't find a Dwyer, Indiana)? She probably was halfway there before she got on the train.
It isn't just Amtrak, though. I'm not a regular Metra commuter, but I've had the misfortune to be made late for work twice by occurrences such as these. In both cases, the local police were there fairly quickly.
Did anyone else have as much of a problem with the 911-operator's response as I did? (Sorry--responses to this somewhat rhetorical question might bring the thread off topic.)
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
So is it up to the individual conductors to buy and carry restraint ties? I ask because they tried everything on #50, including twisted up plastic bags and only the shoe laces worked. The conductor said he has had no training in dealing with this type of passenger. I can't even imagine that Amtrak hasn't addressed it in training.
We're getting a little light on this, but keep in mind:
1) The Cardinal was very crowded
2) One passenger managed to frighten and insult many of those passengers
3) The crew needed passengers' help in subduing her
She probably just got a slap on the wrists from a sympathetic judge, yet
No doubt many of those on board have decided not to take Amtrak again because of the actions of one stupid individual.
They should have just slowed down to 20mph and thrown her off the train
As far as plastic ties go thats a huge no no and lawsuit waiting to happen, i wouldnt be suprised if this woman sues them for tying her hands up with shoe laces.
Handcuffs are the way to go, conductors should carry them though I really think Amtrak should go the airline route and have a "Rail Marshall" on every passenger train
Mr_Ash wrote: They should have just slowed down to 20mph and thrown her off the train As far as plastic ties go thats a huge no no and lawsuit waiting to happen, i wouldnt be suprised if this woman sues them for tying her hands up with shoe laces.Handcuffs are the way to go, conductors should carry them though I really think Amtrak should go the airline route and have a "Rail Marshall" on every passenger train
That's the best idea yet.
Tharmeni wrote: Mr_Ash wrote: They should have just slowed down to 20mph and thrown her off the train As far as plastic ties go thats a huge no no and lawsuit waiting to happen, i wouldnt be suprised if this woman sues them for tying her hands up with shoe laces.Handcuffs are the way to go, conductors should carry them though I really think Amtrak should go the airline route and have a "Rail Marshall" on every passenger trainThat's the best idea yet.
Whats that? Rail Marshall's or throwing people off the train without stopping?
Uh, rail marshalls.
Incidentally, the Cardinal was stopped by the crew as the woman ran wild. Not to get the police on board, but to make sure she did NOT leap from a moving train. Once she was subdued, they proceeded on to Dyer.
Haven't ever used the flexcuffs ("twist ties") so can't comment on possible liabilities that go with their use. Since they are so widespread, I wouldn't think there would be major liability issues, if properly applied. Amtrak should furnish handcuffs and leg shackles on every train, and give the staff training on their use. Trust me, learning how to use them properly isn't difficult (been there, done that, and have some funny stories to prove it).
JOdom wrote: Amtrak should furnish handcuffs and leg shackles on every train...
Amtrak should furnish handcuffs and leg shackles on every train...
Any minute now we're going to be talking about the white boxcars and Beech Grove again!
Dakguy201 wrote: JOdom wrote: Amtrak should furnish handcuffs and leg shackles on every train... Any minute now we're going to be talking about the white boxcars and Beech Grove again!
You're too late. There's another thread on the Beach Grove Prison...
And if you thought it couldn't get any worse!
A CSX train derailed a couple empty coal cars in Wanyesboro, VA this morning delaying the Cardinal even more. It left charlottesville, VA about six and half hours late.
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