Allen Dee
Lead Service Attendant
<<IN BRIEF / SEACLIFF
Woman on Railroad Tracks Killed by Train
From Times Staff Reports
A 50-year-old woman collecting spikes from a railroad track south of Mussel Shoals was killed about 10:15 a.m. Friday when she was hit by an Amtrak Surfliner train.
Engineers, who saw the woman as she bent over the tracks, sounded the horn and attempted to stop the southbound train. The identity of the woman will not be released until relatives are notified.
None of the 155 passengers was injured.>>
This would be train # 774, already running approximately 20 minutes late, which originated in San Luis Obispo en route to San Diego.
Last Sunday there was a man killed on the tracks near downtown Santa Barbara.
<<Local News
Man walking near tracks hit, killed by train
Westside resident was wearing radio headphones
3/26/03
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
A Westside man walking home from a downtown shopping trip on Tuesday died after being struck by an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train.
A witness said the man turned around to see the northbound train coming from behind, but was unable to get out of the way. Santa Barbara police said he was wearing radio headphones and probably couldn't hear the train.
The incident occurred about 11:40 a.m. at the end of Canon Perdido Street.
"It appeared he died instantly," said Officer Rashun Drayton. "The train was very quiet to begin with because the locomotive was pushing the train from the rear. It would have been very hard to hear this train anyway, but especially if you have some sort of listening device in your ears."
Authorities said the victim was 49 years old. His name was withheld pending notification of his family.
Bobby Wesley, 61, was playing kickball in the street with his 3-year-old grandson when he saw a man walking along the tracks.
"You could see that he had earphones on," Mr. Wesley said. "But I would have bet everything that the train wasn't going to hit him because it looked like he was far enough over to the side."
Mr. Wesley said he'll never forget the expression on the man's face when he realized the train was behind him.
"When he turned and looked at the train, you could tell it was a surprise to him," Mr. Wesley said. "If he hadn't turned, I don't think it would have hit him because it looked like he stepped in closer to the tracks when he turned."
Mr. Wesley yelled to his wife that the man had been struck.
"It was just like I was right there with him tumbling underneath the train," he said. "Then his body just went flying out from underneath. .Ê.Ê. It was like watching a horror movie."
The train came to a screeching halt and Mr. Wesley ran to help the man.
"But when I got up to him, you could see he was already dead," Mr. Wesley said. "It's so sad this happened. There's probably someone waiting for him to come home.
"I hope I don't have nightmares," Mr. Wesley said.
The force of the impact knocked the man's headphones off and his shopping bag out of his hands.
"He had some sheets and clothing in the bag with the price tags still on them," said Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Darryl Skare. "It looks like he had just been shopping downtown and was walking home."
The man may have walked closer to the tracks, police said, to walk around some brush along the side.
"The engineer said he blew his horn and applied the brakes," said police Officer George Kennedy, "but it was just too late."
No one on the train was injured. After about two hours, the train continued on its way.>>
This would have been train # 763 enroute from San Diego to Goleta.
<<Local News
Another pedestrian killed by train
3/30/03
Two fatal accidents involving Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains this week are raising local awareness about the dangers of walking near train tracks.
In the most recent incident, a woman suffered massive head injuries when she was struck by a southbound Amtrak train at Mussel Shoal, about 2 miles south of the Ventura-Santa Barbara county line just after 10 a.m. Friday, authorities said. The woman was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where she died at about 1 p.m. She has not been publicly identified.
None of the 155 passengers on board were injured, police said. The train resumed service at 11:45 a.m.
Earlier this week, Bernadino Aguilar, 49, of Santa Barbara, was struck and killed by a northbound Amtrak train at the end of Canon Perdido Street, police said. Witnesses said he was wearing radio headphones, which police believe prevented him from hearing the train.
"They are both tragic accidents," said Eric Nishimoto, Ventura County Sheriff's Department spokesman. "Most of the time you don't hear trains until it is too late.">>
Woman on Railroad Tracks Killed by Train
From Times Staff Reports
A 50-year-old woman collecting spikes from a railroad track south of Mussel Shoals was killed about 10:15 a.m. Friday when she was hit by an Amtrak Surfliner train.
Engineers, who saw the woman as she bent over the tracks, sounded the horn and attempted to stop the southbound train. The identity of the woman will not be released until relatives are notified.
None of the 155 passengers was injured.>>
This would be train # 774, already running approximately 20 minutes late, which originated in San Luis Obispo en route to San Diego.
Last Sunday there was a man killed on the tracks near downtown Santa Barbara.
<<Local News
Man walking near tracks hit, killed by train
Westside resident was wearing radio headphones
3/26/03
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
A Westside man walking home from a downtown shopping trip on Tuesday died after being struck by an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train.
A witness said the man turned around to see the northbound train coming from behind, but was unable to get out of the way. Santa Barbara police said he was wearing radio headphones and probably couldn't hear the train.
The incident occurred about 11:40 a.m. at the end of Canon Perdido Street.
"It appeared he died instantly," said Officer Rashun Drayton. "The train was very quiet to begin with because the locomotive was pushing the train from the rear. It would have been very hard to hear this train anyway, but especially if you have some sort of listening device in your ears."
Authorities said the victim was 49 years old. His name was withheld pending notification of his family.
Bobby Wesley, 61, was playing kickball in the street with his 3-year-old grandson when he saw a man walking along the tracks.
"You could see that he had earphones on," Mr. Wesley said. "But I would have bet everything that the train wasn't going to hit him because it looked like he was far enough over to the side."
Mr. Wesley said he'll never forget the expression on the man's face when he realized the train was behind him.
"When he turned and looked at the train, you could tell it was a surprise to him," Mr. Wesley said. "If he hadn't turned, I don't think it would have hit him because it looked like he stepped in closer to the tracks when he turned."
Mr. Wesley yelled to his wife that the man had been struck.
"It was just like I was right there with him tumbling underneath the train," he said. "Then his body just went flying out from underneath. .Ê.Ê. It was like watching a horror movie."
The train came to a screeching halt and Mr. Wesley ran to help the man.
"But when I got up to him, you could see he was already dead," Mr. Wesley said. "It's so sad this happened. There's probably someone waiting for him to come home.
"I hope I don't have nightmares," Mr. Wesley said.
The force of the impact knocked the man's headphones off and his shopping bag out of his hands.
"He had some sheets and clothing in the bag with the price tags still on them," said Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Darryl Skare. "It looks like he had just been shopping downtown and was walking home."
The man may have walked closer to the tracks, police said, to walk around some brush along the side.
"The engineer said he blew his horn and applied the brakes," said police Officer George Kennedy, "but it was just too late."
No one on the train was injured. After about two hours, the train continued on its way.>>
This would have been train # 763 enroute from San Diego to Goleta.
<<Local News
Another pedestrian killed by train
3/30/03
Two fatal accidents involving Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains this week are raising local awareness about the dangers of walking near train tracks.
In the most recent incident, a woman suffered massive head injuries when she was struck by a southbound Amtrak train at Mussel Shoal, about 2 miles south of the Ventura-Santa Barbara county line just after 10 a.m. Friday, authorities said. The woman was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where she died at about 1 p.m. She has not been publicly identified.
None of the 155 passengers on board were injured, police said. The train resumed service at 11:45 a.m.
Earlier this week, Bernadino Aguilar, 49, of Santa Barbara, was struck and killed by a northbound Amtrak train at the end of Canon Perdido Street, police said. Witnesses said he was wearing radio headphones, which police believe prevented him from hearing the train.
"They are both tragic accidents," said Eric Nishimoto, Ventura County Sheriff's Department spokesman. "Most of the time you don't hear trains until it is too late.">>
