The conductor, whose identity has not been released, was flown to John Peter Smith Hospital for treatment of a severe head injury, said Lt. Kent Worley, Fire Department spokesman.
Worley said he does not know what caused the fall. BNSF spokesman Joe Faust said the train's engineer got separated from the conductor, then looked down and saw his partner on the bridge. Faust said the railroad would not release the conductor's name until relatives are notified.
Worley said the train had apparently just left the downtown rail yard and was traveling north when the accident occurred.
"I don't know how fast it was going, but it was not too fast," he said.
After the conductor fell, Worley said, the engineer stopped the train and used bystander Scott Jackson's cellphone to summon help.
Worley said firefighters were dispatched at 2:48 p.m. to Northeast 23rd Street and Samuels Avenue, where they found the conductor lying against the far left side of two parallel tracks. "He was within a foot or two of going off the trestle" and falling into the Trinity River, Worley said.
The Fire Department's water rescue team was dispatched but not needed, Worley said. He said the department's technical rescue team asked railroad employees to uncouple the train cars to enable the team to remove the conductor from the tracks.
He was still unconscious when he was taken to JPS about 3:45 p.m. with a severe injury to the left side of his head, Worley said.
Jackson said he saw the conductor fall. "He was unconscious and bleeding real bad. The guy who drove the train was crying when he asked me if I had a cellphone."
(This item appeared Jan. 2, 2008, in the Star Telegram.)
January 2, 2008
From UTU Page
I can identify with that - it almost happened to me. I was in the process of climbing down off a locomotive. I was also carrying a chainsaw, which complicated things a bit. In the process of crossing the front of the locomotive I bumped something with my shoulder which threw me off balance. Fortunately the chain (between the front handrail sections) held or I'd have gone to the ground, headfirst.
Let's hope he recovers, and the engineer doesn't have any lasting issues. I'd hate to experience the feeling of discovering my partner wasn't where he should be, and was hurt besides.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Dan
No doubt thoughts to my brother in Texas.May he recover and be in good health soon.Hopefully someone councels the engineer. We lost one on the Chicago divison last week,so this is close on the heels of that news.
Can I ask why you had the chainsaw?I have always been looking for new and different ways of scaring hoboes but my God man!!
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
route_rock wrote: Can I ask why you had the chainsaw?I have always been looking for new and different ways of scaring hoboes but my God man!!
Wind and snow all day and two Polar Express trains to run that night, so we took another locomotive out to scout the 12+ mile route and make sure we had clear running. The chainsaw was in case we encountered any trees down across the tracks - a very real possibility that day.
I was the only trainman working the Polar trips that night - so I got to wade through knee deep snow to clear the HEP generator air intake filters of snow and work the crossing gates at the "North Pole." At least I was dressed for it.
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
tree68 wrote: route_rock wrote: Can I ask why you had the chainsaw?I have always been looking for new and different ways of scaring hoboes but my God man!!Wind and snow all day and two Polar Express trains to run that night, so we took another locomotive out to scout the 12+ mile route and make sure we had clear running. The chainsaw was in case we encountered any trees down across the tracks - a very real possibility that day.I was the only trainman working the Polar trips that night - so I got to wade through knee deep snow to clear the HEP generator air intake filters of snow and work the crossing gates at the "North Pole." At least I was dressed for it.
I have made toothpicks out of every tree i hit with a locomotive, and your wanting to do it the hard way with a chain saw? heck next you want to get out there with a snow blower to clear the tracks. I hope my employer dont see that they will want all conductors to wake up and clear the main and while the engineer is waiting they will want us to start washing and waxing the engines.
When your cargo consists of 300+ people (kids and their parents), you tend to get a little more paraoid about getting the train there and back in one piece. The engineer on the pilot trip was our general manager. The rest of the crew consisted of our chief mechanic (also an engineer), the lead conductor for the PE trips, and myself.
The lead locomotive on the PE trips this year was one of our F's, which we'd rather not bang up either. We don't have any spares right now.
I have washed the locomotive and the cars on occasion. It became necessary when the RS3 started having turbo problems and left a thin layer of black all over everything. The RS3 is black in the first place, but so were the windows and nameboard....
Back on topic, any word on the current condition of the BNSF conductor?
tree68 wrote: When your cargo consists of 300+ people (kids and their parents), you tend to get a little more paraoid about getting the train there and back in one piece. The engineer on the pilot trip was our general manager. The rest of the crew consisted of our chief mechanic (also an engineer), the lead conductor for the PE trips, and myself. The lead locomotive on the PE trips this year was one of our F's, which we'd rather not bang up either. We don't have any spares right now.I have washed the locomotive and the cars on occasion. It became necessary when the RS3 started having turbo problems and left a thin layer of black all over everything. The RS3 is black in the first place, but so were the windows and nameboard....Back on topic, any word on the current condition of the BNSF conductor?
From UTU Page 1/3/08
Mr. Faust declined to release the man's name but said the 32-year-old lives in Fort Worth and has been with the company for 13 years.
The cause of the accident remained under investigation, but Mr. Faust said initial reports that the man fell from a moving train appeared to be incorrect.
The conductor, part of a two-person crew, was near the parked train checking equipment when he was injured about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Mr. Faust said.
Fort Worth Fire Department crews reached him on a trestle just south of Samuels and Decatur avenues. He was in the intensive care unit at John Peter Smith Hospital on Wednesday, Mr. Faust said.
(This item appeared Jan. 3, 2008, in the Morning News.)
Tree you work for Finger Lakes I assume? I can see wanting to cut the trees up when hauling passengers instead of whacking them.
I hate bridges and culverts, I could have been that guy one night out on the Chilli sub.Our train dumped and I went walking back to inspect it ( also to make sure we had a good set and release as FRED was being lazy)I get past our motors and about 4 cars back on a very dark night and the next thing I know the ballast is flowing down hill and I am going with it! I grab the car I am next to and shine my light out into a dark chasm. Here is a small bridge I am almost on that goes over a dirt path so farmer joe can go field to field.It was a good 30 foot drop and I am glad I had a warning!
A lot of people forget this is a dangerous job.Kepp him and any railroader in your thoughts and prayers somedays we need all the help we can get!
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