Maybe CSX can borrow one of UPs Rotaries...
Hurt on the job and no Workers Comp. Pay the man, get rid of the geese, and move on.
Dan
If train crews were granted the right to carry, would this injury have been avoidable?
I remember riding a CB&Q branch line mixed back when the earth and I were young. The crew let us tour the cab of their locomotive. Personal equipment therein included a model 1911 Colt .45 cal. pistol, a 20 gauge shotgun and a wrist rocket sling shot.
It was hunting season. The 10 MPH speed limit meant there was no problem retrieving any pheasants, or rabbits, punished for treaspassing on the less than manicured right of way. Rather than make a mess of their work place, all prey was taken home to be cleaned.
No goose would dare have tangled with these guys.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
JSGreen wrote: 'round these here parts, the most popular PETA bumper sticker isI support PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals.(Another favorite is: Vegitarian...old indian word for "Bad Hunter"
'round these here parts, the most popular PETA bumper sticker is
I support PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals.
(Another favorite is: Vegitarian...old indian word for "Bad Hunter"
hah thanks for that laugh. that was great!
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Maybe the solution would be for the judge to order PETA to settle the goose's problem to everybody's satisfaction. Or for everyone who was injured to individually sue PETA as an organization and the individual nitwits and lawyers who either threatened action or entered into legal action resulting in injunction leading to injury.
I'll pay attention to PETA when I hear that all the bears, sharks, tigers and T-d off geese have joined ATEP (Animals for the Ethical Treatment of People.)
And then there was the case, several years ago, where the local ASPCA chapter took a citizen to court for killing a rat... (The state, New Jersey, had rats defined as, "Noxious pests...")
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.
Chuck
All I gotta say is
Boot >> Goose
BaltACD wrote: "As plaintiff performed the required inspection, a goose which was previously known by defendant to have nested in its yard area, suddenly jumped out from under one of the railcars, striking plaintiff, and causing him to fall," the complaint states.If the employee knew of the existance of the goose, normal prudence would dictate that he take the appropriate defensive measures, which on the surface of the article it appears was not done. Knowing human nature, I would fully expect that the individual might even have tried to antagonize the goose thereby inviting the attack. Case dismissed.
"As plaintiff performed the required inspection, a goose which was previously known by defendant to have nested in its yard area, suddenly jumped out from under one of the railcars, striking plaintiff, and causing him to fall," the complaint states.
If the employee knew of the existance of the goose, normal prudence would dictate that he take the appropriate defensive measures, which on the surface of the article it appears was not done. Knowing human nature, I would fully expect that the individual might even have tried to antagonize the goose thereby inviting the attack. Case dismissed.
I did not read anything that suggested that the employee "ANTAGONIZED" the goose, as far as I can tell, that is just supposition on your part, which would carry exactly ZERO weight in a courtroom.
Anyone that is laughing about this has never been attacked by one of these nasty buggers which are nothing more than a CUTE APPEARING vermin. I have been chased and attacked by geese, and being an animal lover wanted to avoid hurting them, but a goose can inflict very painful bites. The employee was injured in a fall, that in my own supposition (I WASN"T THERE EITHER) happened while trying to avoid the XXXX vermin. The damages sought only amounted to $75,000 according to the article, that was for medical, time lost and legal costs, which all can add up very quickly, plus loss of enjoyment of life, which knowing how fast the first three can add up was likely a VERY SMALL portion of the total. This person was not trying to score a lottery win doing something that he should not have been such as a trespasser on the ROW being injured when they have no business being there and then going for the million dollar settlement. This appears to be someone hurt on the job (as humorous as the circumstances may seem to some) and doesn't want to lose their home over it.
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
solzrules wrote: Perhaps the CSX could allow the crews to carry a nice over under 10 gauge. Just think - the engineer could have one hanging out his side and the conductor could have one on the other side. Man, that'd be the goose killing machine!Actually, this is a bird that needs to be hunted down. Their numbers are growing exponentially, and without any natural predators in the area they are spreading like wildfire. It is the same situation with deer in these parts. We don't kill enough of them every year so they are becoming a hazard on the roads and some of them are dying of starvation every year because the habitat can't support the population. Geese can also put some hurting on you. Their wings (I've never tried this) are supposedly strong enough to break your arm, if they hit you right. Not the nicest bird to tangle with. They can also be pretty teritorial, which sound like what the CSX guy walked into. Without delving into the legitimacy of the lawsuit, I find it hard to imagine what CSX was supposed to do to prevent wildlife from being wildlife.
Perhaps the CSX could allow the crews to carry a nice over under 10 gauge. Just think - the engineer could have one hanging out his side and the conductor could have one on the other side. Man, that'd be the goose killing machine!
Actually, this is a bird that needs to be hunted down. Their numbers are growing exponentially, and without any natural predators in the area they are spreading like wildfire. It is the same situation with deer in these parts. We don't kill enough of them every year so they are becoming a hazard on the roads and some of them are dying of starvation every year because the habitat can't support the population.
Geese can also put some hurting on you. Their wings (I've never tried this) are supposedly strong enough to break your arm, if they hit you right. Not the nicest bird to tangle with. They can also be pretty teritorial, which sound like what the CSX guy walked into. Without delving into the legitimacy of the lawsuit, I find it hard to imagine what CSX was supposed to do to prevent wildlife from being wildlife.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
PETA better not find out or they will want the railroad shut down until nesting season is over. This guy brings new depth of meaning to getting goosed however.
solzrules wrote: Perhaps the CSX could allow the crews to carry a nice over under 10 gauge. Just think - the engineer could have one hanging out his side and the conductor could have one on the other side. Man, that'd be the goose killing machine!
Come in real handy for the morons determined to run grade crossing gates too, I'm sure? That way the road crews wouldn't have to throw their trains into emergency, they could just confirm the kill, and keep on chugging?
All Western railroads probably had the problem, and on Milwaukee Road, the animal hazard was rattlesnakes; in Sixteen Mile Canyon in Central Montana, and Tauton to Beverly in Central Washington. Yes, the Railroad issued regular warning memoranda to employees working in the area, and snake bite kits.
Apparently, there was a lucrative pharmaceutical market for rattlesnake venom, and one enterprising Substation Operator decided to convert an unused coal shed into a Snake House where he could raise and "milk" rattlesnakes and sell the venom. He had about seventy five snakes which he had pressed into this service, all living happily in the coal shed. Very entrepeneurial. He saw it as practically a public service.
Naturally, he did not advertise the operation locally.
The Roadmaster was poking around one day and decided to see what was in the coal shed and opened the door, pretty much expecting to see an empty coal shed. It was reported that never before had anyone jumped so far, so fast, backwards.
Dweezil wrote: Isn't that a goose featured in Wisconsin Southern's corporate logo? Maybe there is more to the story than we're being told?
Isn't that a goose featured in Wisconsin Southern's corporate logo? Maybe there is more to the story than we're being told?
I think the goose came about because of the Horicon Marsh, which is a huge wildlife area near the WSOR's home base. They have lots of geese that flock there in the spring and fall.
List a bit of trivia.
Phil
It's stuff like this that got CSX it's nickname involving Chickens and Express with a censored word...
Problem:
Solution:
Wasnt that easy?
Have fun with your trains
Bottom line is , that CSX in prevention of injuries should have contracted a wildlife relocator or handler to remove the hazard to its workers.
If they did not specialy after being notified by their workers they are 100% liable.
What I really love is that quote from the SPCA spokesperson about, "Finding safe places where the geese won't have to interact with humans..."
How does he plan to ship a million live geese a year to Mars? Or is he planning to store them in abandoned underground mines?
Yes, geese can be nasty. Too bad railroad employees no longer carry brake clubs.
Chuck (member of the nastiest, most dangerous species on the planet)
Lord Atmo wrote: man i can just picture that. i'd just be sitting at the edge of the yard watching the action. all of a sudden this conductor runs out from behind a cut of rolling stock with a mad goose chasing him. i would probably suffocate from laughter
man i can just picture that. i'd just be sitting at the edge of the yard watching the action. all of a sudden this conductor runs out from behind a cut of rolling stock with a mad goose chasing him. i would probably suffocate from laughter
But just think of how cool a picture that would make! It probably won't make it to the "Gallery" section of Trains magazine, but it would do wonders for morale here (and every rail yard in the US).
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