Another Trespasser Dies on Amtrak Route

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chakk

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Amtrak Capitol Corridor train 538 from San Jose to Sacramento struck a trespasser on the tracks today (5/19) at 4:52 PM near Pinole, CA. No one on the train was injured. The trespasser was pronounced dead at the scene.
 
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I will never understand why people trespass, especially across train tracks. I don't care how much faster it is than your normal route, its not worth risking your life and probably scaring an engineer for life.
 
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I will never understand why people trespass, especially across train tracks. I don't care how much faster it is than your normal route, its not worth risking your life and probably scaring an engineer for life.
The UK government has determined that around 80% of pedestrian deaths involving a train are motivated by suicide. I would not be surprised if US train related pedestrian deaths had similar circumstances and motivations. Traveling on the Coast Starlight a few weeks ago reminded me just how desperate the situation is for many folks. You see people with nowhere to go living in makeshift campsites along the tracks. As our social safety net is further eroded over time it probably doesn't take much to push someone living in those kinds of conditions to consider giving up and ending it all. Once you're in that kind of a mindset I doubt you care how the folks on the train feel about it.
 
I will never understand why people trespass, especially across train tracks. I don't care how much faster it is than your normal route, its not worth risking your life and probably scaring an engineer for life.
The UK government has determined that around 80% of pedestrian deaths involving a train are motivated by suicide. I would not be surprised if US train related pedestrian deaths had similar circumstances and motivations. Traveling on the Coast Starlight a few weeks ago reminded me just how desperate the situation is for many folks. You see people with nowhere to go living in makeshift campsites along the tracks. As our social safety net is further eroded over time it probably doesn't take much to push someone living in those kinds of conditions to consider giving up and ending it all. Once you're in that kind of a mindset I doubt you care how the folks on the train feel about it.
In my tiredness I hadn't even considered that, which says something about our society doesn't it. This just seems to be part of a much larger issue
 
As someone who lost a parent recently to suicide it may be a commentary on the neglect of the necessity of mental health services and the stigma that surrounds those who do seek help. If your arm was broken you wouldn't think yourself a wimp for needing a cast but when you need to talk through challenges or tragedies you're a nut... People are seen as weak when the burdens outweigh their stamina to work through them. Just my two cents on the matter.
 
As someone who lost a parent recently to suicide it may be a commentary on the neglect of the necessity of mental health services and the stigma that surrounds those who do seek help. If your arm was broken you wouldn't think yourself a wimp for needing a cast but when you need to talk through challenges or tragedies you're a nut... People are seen as weak when the burdens outweigh their stamina to work through them. Just my two cents on the matter.
Indeed there is a lot of neglect in our society today. I'm sorry to hear about your loss, I hope my ignorance did not offend you. If it did I apologize.
 
As someone who lost a parent recently to suicide it may be a commentary on the neglect of the necessity of mental health services and the stigma that surrounds those who do seek help. If your arm was broken you wouldn't think yourself a wimp for needing a cast but when you need to talk through challenges or tragedies you're a nut... People are seen as weak when the burdens outweigh their stamina to work through them. Just my two cents on the matter.
Indeed there is a lot of neglect in our society today. I'm sorry to hear about your loss, I hope my ignorance did not offend you. If it did I apologize.
Not at all. Suicide is a social taboo. I think that it is likely in so many of those situations that death is the intention. It's such a shame...
 
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