Train strikes (6/28)

[Thirdrail7]

While everyone was paying attention to the incident around Washington DC, two more fatalities occurred.

Train fatally strikes person near Union Station in Hartford

Allow a brief "fair use" quote:

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Hartford Police and Amtrak Police are investigating after a person was fatally struck by a train in the Capitol City on Wednesday afternoon.

Amtrak Police say at around 3:35 p.m., train 55, which was traveling from Vermont to Washington, D.C. struck a person on the tracks just before Union Station in Hartford.

Trains 55, 475 and 175 were impacted. Click on the link for pictures.

Additionally, there is the equally devastating incident:

13-year-old girl struck and killed by train in Fairfax County

Apparently, she was hiking through the woods with her 22 year old brother and her 13 year old cousin when they decided to cross the Bull Run bridge.

Allow a brief "fair use" quote:

A source told FOX 5’s Lauren DeMarco that the girl's 22-year-old brother ran to her and her 13-year-old cousin as the train was approaching. The brother and the cousin were able to jump across the large gap to the opposite tracks.

However, it's a long way down to the water below and the 13-year-old girl was too scared to jump and she started running instead. The train operator saw her and slowed but there wasn't enough time and she was struck.

The link has pictures of the bridge (that gap between the tracks does look intimidating), the train and a video (which I didn't watch.) The tracks were closed for almost four hours, impacting numerous VREs, 171(28), 19(28) and 50(27).

I wonder if they will attempt to hold the 22 year old brother responsible for this. It may be safer for him to go to prison than deal with the wrath of their parents.

 

[Triley]

It's been a rough month...

 

[dlagrua]

The loss of life on train tracks is due to poor decisions often made by young people who are unable to comprehend the danger. I call on all public schools to preset a 10 minute segment each semester on the danger of crossing or being on train tracks illegally. if lives can be saved it will certainly be worth the effort.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The loss of life on train tracks is due to poor decisions often made by young people who are unable to comprehend the danger. I call on all public schools to preset a 10 minute segment each semester on the danger of crossing or being on train tracks illegally. if lives can be saved it will certainly be worth the effort.

Have you contacted your school district and shared this with them? Or are you expecting schools to see this post?

 

[Steve4031]

As a teacher, it would take more than 10 minutes a semester. I had operation life saver come to my classroom a few times.

 

[John Bobinyec]

The loss of life on train tracks is due to poor decisions often made by young people who are unable to comprehend the danger. I call on all public schools to preset a 10 minute segment each semester on the danger of crossing or being on train tracks illegally. if lives can be saved it will certainly be worth the effort.

I doubt that any school, public or private, would take that on. They would not want the responsibility for the next adolescent fatality on railroad tracks. And even if it were to come to pass, what about other illegal activity that might result in a child's death? Should the school system also teach courses on that?

jb

 

[DCAKen]

Unfortunately, the girl's mother thought "it was nobody's fault"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/it-was-nobodys-fault-mother-says-of-teen-daughter-fatally-struck-by-train/2017/06/29/df4acc24-5cf4-11e7-a9f6-7c3296387341_story.html?utm_term=.8914f3092632

 

[Thirdrail7]

The loss of life on train tracks is due to poor decisions often made by young people who are unable to comprehend the danger. I call on all public schools to preset a 10 minute segment each semester on the danger of crossing or being on train tracks illegally. if lives can be saved it will certainly be worth the effort.

I doubt that any school, public or private, would take that on. They would not want the responsibility for the next adolescent fatality on railroad tracks. And even if it were to come to pass, what about other illegal activity that might result in a child's death? Should the school system also teach courses on that?

jb

What's the harm? What's the difference between allowing Operation Redblock into your curriculum and allowing MADD (as an example)to lecture students?

Unfortunately, the girl's mother thought "it was nobody's fault"

So much for the wrath of the parents.

 

[Hal]

Unfortunately, the girl's mother thought "it was nobody's fault"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/it-was-nobodys-fault-mother-says-of-teen-daughter-fatally-struck-by-train/2017/06/29/df4acc24-5cf4-11e7-a9f6-7c3296387341_story.html?utm_term=.8914f3092632

In denial or weird. Sad.

 

[Ryan]

Expecting rational thought from someone who has just suffered a loss such as this may be just a little bit unrealistic.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Why do people think someone should be blamed? They were out having fun and made a bad decision to climb up on the trestle and walk the tracks. It has happened in the past and will continue to happen.

 

[Hal]

Why do people think someone should be blamed? They were out having fun and made a bad decision to climb up on the trestle and walk the tracks. It has happened in the past and will continue to happen.

Climbing a railroad trestle and walking on the tracks is a pretty bad decision. Children can be somewhat excused for bad decisions. But there was an adult involved. I don't know the mental age of the adult that was there so I don't know if any of the blame belongs on him. Someone is at fault though.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Another sad story in the never ending Saga,"Why Do They Do That?!"

Disclaimer: I grew up around Railroads back in the Golden Age of Rail, and walked and played many a mile on the tracks and ROW,and was taught that you should Always figure a train was coming along and to stay alert.

I still lost some friends this way and have seen many tragic scenes on the rails in my life.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Why do people think someone should be blamed? They were out having fun and made a bad decision to climb up on the trestle and walk the tracks. It has happened in the past and will continue to happen.

Climbing a railroad trestle and walking on the tracks is a pretty bad decision. Children can be somewhat excused for bad decisions. But there was an adult involved. I don't know the mental age of the adult that was there so I don't know if any of the blame belongs on him. Someone is at fault though.

The adult being involved is what I locked on to. You can't typically leave a child in the car to run into the store without risking a child endangerment charge. Accompanying them on to an active rail bridge seems like you're really looking to run afoul with law enforcement officials.

As for us assigning blame, unfortunately that is what immediately comes to mind since there are usually lawsuits when these things happen. At least her mom thinks "it is nobody's fault"....for now. When she's done grieving, it will be interesting to see if that holds.

 

[JayPea]

I recall a case years ago in Spokane where a 14 year old girl and the 5 year old girl she was babysitting were riding a horse on BN tracks and were on a bridge when they were struck and killed by a BN train. The parents of both girls sued BN....and won hefty settlements because the jury determined BN to be at fault because there were no warnings posted about the dangers of trespassing on railroad property. Poor decision by a teenager, railroad loses big.