A rock flew through a running Metra train window, shattering glass and injuring its conductor Sunday afternoon.
Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile said it appears someone threw a rock at the northbound train just before the 87th Street station, shattering a window directly near the train's engineer about 11:40 a.m.
When police arrived, they were unable to find anyone who might have been the suspected rock thrower, Reile said.
The incident occurred on Metra's Electric Line -- which was running northbound on the Southeast Side from 93rd Street the Millennium Park Station -- and delayed the train for about an hour, Reile said.
The train was held up as a new engineer was located to operate it, while the original engineer was taken to an area hospital in an unknown condition. His injuries were believed to be non-life-threatening, Reile said.
The train was only a couple minutes away from its second stop when the incident happened. The train began running again at 12:40 p.m.
The delay caused the returning southbound train to be delayed as well, Reile said.
A South Chicago District police officer did not have any information on the incident as of 1 p.m.
It is so frustratingly sad to read or hear news like this.
My question is: IF CAUGHT...............What type of consequences do rock throwers targeting trains in Illinois receive? Especially since the chances are that it's one or more juveniles in this case.
Is it the traditional lecture from a "nurturing" judge, with a slap on the wrist? Or is the perp(s) sent to a boot camp or the "Juvy Hall?
Is the perp made to pay for the damages? If juveniles, are the parents, regardless of income, made to pay for the damages?
Sorry to vent, but it's disgusting that someone throwing objects at locomotive engineers has absolutely no consideration or compassion for these professionals that operate massive machines weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds while transporting passengers.
"Nurturing" can only go so far. Accountability and responsibility are two parts of the equation that have been overlooked in many cases by defense attorneys and bleeding heart judges.
O.K; end of rant
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
I had that happen to me while driving my Jeep. I was very lucky not to have had an accident, hitting another vehicle, or a retaining wall. I was pretty well shaken up, and very angry, espically with the attitude of the NYSSR Trooper that took my report. It was as though he'd heard it before and had no intention of doing any follow up. And, I had to pay for the windshield, since my deductable was so high. (my fault, but anything to stay out of the risk pool!)
A friend of mine threw rocks back at his attackers. He managed to catch one, and narrowly miss the idiot that threw it at him. He was told that he should not do that, as they could charge him with assault. We cannot fight back in the NYSSR!
One more thing to worry about. Perhaps Metra's cabs on the ex-IC Electric should be fitted (or retrofitted) with shatter-resistant glass??
al-in-chgo wrote: One more thing to worry about. Perhaps Metra's cabs on the ex-IC Electric should be fitted (or retrofitted) with shatter-resistant glass??
PBenham wrote: al-in-chgo wrote: One more thing to worry about. Perhaps Metra's cabs on the ex-IC Electric should be fitted (or retrofitted) with shatter-resistant glass?? Wouldn't it be illegal? Since it is considered to be rapid transit, it might have to meet only the same standards as ordinary cars, trucks or other vehicles. That is not a sound policy!
I haven't ever heard of a law against exceeding legal standards.
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
I never haver nor never will understand what these thoughtless idiot's get out of doing something like this.I myself have had a brick thrown at my windscreen and had a air pellet make a clear hole in my windscreen too. And why ?
Best wishes to the injured engineer.May he make a speedy recovery.
I hate to hear of complete idiot's doing things like this !
I've had beer bottles,rocks and been shot at before while moving down the tracks.
People put spikes,pipes old tires,crossties and even cars on the tracks.
They don't just don't understand the danger involved when doing this kind of crap.
I hit about 100 or so spikes placed on the rail end to end one day.They sounded like machine gun rounds going off.And the kids that might have done it ,I saw hiding behind some trees pointing.
Those things could have struck one of them and then the railroad would have been sued by their parents.
But I think people who run r.r. crossing gates are criminals also.I start blowing my horn in normal fashion ,2 long,1 short,1 long until someone gets crazy and runs the gate.Then I lay on the horn all the way thru the crossing ,hopefully getting my p[oint across to them and by-standers.
And all this while I'm just trying to make a living .
Collin ,operator of the " Eastern Kentucky & Ohio R.R."
two things to carry in a grip... a pocket rocket and some tacighine pellots... lol
csx engineer
All heavy rail transit that connects with the general rail network (which METRA does) must meet FRA Part 223.
FRA Part 223 glazing is SUPPOSE to be bulletproof (sorta). Part 223 cerified glazing should stop a 40 grain .22LR traveling 960 feet per second and a 24 lb cinder block traveling 44 feet per second. - 49 CFR Part 223 Appendix A.
Have said that. I've seen plently of shattered Part 223 glazing - rocks, cinder blocks, tree limbs, bullets.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
I'll find the article, but it was just last year a group of kids got sentanced hard in adult court for throwin an ice chunk off an overpass killing a mother in the car with the family onboard too.
Very sad.
Adrianspeeder
USAF TSgt C-17 Aircraft Maintenance Flying Crew Chief & Flightline Avionics Craftsman
And so it goes...from the CNS&M RR...archives
Unusual Occurrence Report For Wednesday, July 27, 1960
Train No.421,cars 767-737-762 at Main Street, Skokie, when rock thrown at train broke a window in #1 end of car 762, in charge of Coll R.H Pierce. A sailor, James Stallings Serial # 5207737, U.S Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, was cut on the face and got glass splinters in the eyes and was taken to the hospital in the Skokie Police ambulance..
There are many more listed...suicides...wandering folks on tracks..livestock...at one point an Electroliner stopped and the crew got out and moved a swan from the tracks...the hazards of trackside intruders continues...
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
To paraphrase a famous Scotsman...."You canna change the laws of physics, Jim!"
The FRA tests are based on a moving object hitting a stationary piece of glazing. If my math is correct, traveling at 50 mph, the glazing is already moving approximately 70 feet per second, then you have to add the speed of the on coming object to determine the true closure velocity. And if I remember my equations right...the force of a moving object is it's mass x velocity squared.
the 44 feet per second mentioned in an earlier post is 30 mph. Thus the observatsion about being hit while going faster than 30 to 40 ring true. However, an extra 44 (30mph) or 88 (60mph) feet per second won't make much difference to the bullet.
Like every other rule, the glazing rule is a compromise between what is needed and what is affordable and what is workable.
dd
My conductor and I got shot at with a 22.cal. pellet gun once.It shattered the side glass beside him,but did not go all the way thru the window.You could fill a bubble in the center and see exactly where it hit at.
Best thing about this story is,the bad guy got caught !
We reported this on our emergency call-in and the local police dept responded like right now.They corraled the people in the parking lot where we thought the shot was fired from,and the r.r. detective came in and "twisted arms".
The guys brother who was in sometype of police training ,ratted him out.He had to go to court,skipped paying restitution,and they was gonna go after him.
The detective said he had a c02 powered pellet gun with a laser sight on it .
We agreed to let the r.r. charge the man.I had a cousin in Va. that got his eye put out with a b.b. gun while riding in a caboose once.So I didn't have to think twice.
nbrodar wrote: To paraphrase a famous Scotsman...."You canna change the laws of physics, Jim!"The FRA tests are based on a moving object hitting a stationary piece of glazing. If my math is correct, traveling at 50 mph, the glazing is already moving approximately 70 feet per second, then you have to add the speed of the on coming object to determine the true closure velocity. And if I remember my equations right...the force of a moving object is it's mass x velocity squared.Nick
Brings to mind this story:
"Birdstrike simulators (chicken guns) are currently used by aircraft manufacturers and/or aviation authorities to test aircraft against birdstrikes, and usually work by firing a (dead) chicken at the aircraft.
According to legend, British Rail borrows this device to test the strength of the windshields on their high speed trains. On impact, the chicken shatters the windshield, breaks the operator's chair, and comes to rest embedded in the engine. British Rail asks the FAA for help, and receives a one-sentence reply: Thaw the chicken."
PBenham wrote: I had that happen to me while driving my Jeep. I was very lucky not to have had an accident, hitting another vehicle, or a retaining wall. I was pretty well shaken up, and very angry, espically with the attitude of the NYSSR Trooper that took my report. It was as though he'd heard it before and had no intention of doing any follow up. And, I had to pay for the windshield, since my deductable was so high. (my fault, but anything to stay out of the risk pool!) A friend of mine threw rocks back at his attackers. He managed to catch one, and narrowly miss the idiot that threw it at him. He was told that he should not do that, as they could charge him with assault. We cannot fight back in the NYSSR!
Out in the country down south, where I grew up, you could certainly get away with thrashing the little twerps if you caught them. At least then, most of the cops down there would have helped you by holding them down, handing you a billy club, etc.
True story: A few years back, a couple of punks stole some stuff from my brother's storage building. Sheriff's Dept. caught one of them trying to sell one of the items and took him in for questioning. Kid wouldn't give up his accomplice. Deputy told him, "Either you tell me, or I'll get Mr. Odom up here, lock him in the room with you, and cover my ears so I don't hear the screams." My brother is large and violent, and this kid knew him. Took the kid about 3 seconds to give up the other guy. I thought justice was served.
JoDom,
Now that's justice!
It is so frustrating at times that so many people are concerned about the "rights" of the perpetrator. Yes, innocent til proven guilty but it seems now a days when proven guilty we're asked to consider the person's background, economic status, culture, blah, blah.
Can be disheartening sometimes...........
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