Member killed in Colorado
RADIUM, Colo. – Burlington Northern Santa Fe conductor Mike J. Crouse, a member of Local 500 in Grand Junction, Colo., was killed late Friday night, Dec. 17, when he was hit by a Union Pacific (UP) train at Radium, Colo.
Crouse was 44 years old and had been railroading since 1979. He was married and the father of a six-year old daughter and two stepsons.
According to reports, Crouse was killed as he prepared to do a roll-by inspection of the UP train.
That’s terrible!!! And the second conductor killed by trying to do a rollby inspection in the past month!!! I’ve had many engineers tell me to not even get off the engine because roll-by’s are too dangerous and that I can see just as much from my seat as from the ground. I feel it’s a neccessity to watch a passing train because you never know if something will be wrong or if something is hanging off the side that could smack the lead engine; I just don’t feel it’s neccessary to be on the ground.
Locomutt and I are so very, very sorry to hear this. This kind of loss is
bad any time of the year. But at Christmas, it really makes me sad for
the wife and kids. They will be in our prayers.
In the high country, east of Osterod in Grand County. The area around Radium is rough, snowy and not a whole lot of fun to work in. (ex- DRG/DSL/DNWP Bond/Moffat Sub.)
Is it railroad policy for conductors of stopped trains to get off the engine and do rollby inspections or is it on a railroad by railroad basis? Just seems that this is a terrible waste so close to christmas.
the conductor is supost to get on the ground and inspect passing trains if his train is stoped…this is what they mean by roll by inspection…i know csx has this rule…and im sure others have it too…
csx engineer
Terrible news. I know the line and the location. Needless and terribly wasteful tragedy. I hope some good comes out of this and that the BNSF will review the procedure to make it safer.
Lets also keep the crew on the train that hit him in mind also, they won’t have a happy holiday either after watching the BNSF conductor step in front of their train. Prayers to all those involved.
have to remember that this is a dangours industry…and the rule book is writin in blood…it is sad when anyone is killed in the line of duty… but no matter how many times they rewrite the rule books…and change or add rules…fatalitys will aways happen in this line of work…and all it takes as a mechinal falure or just a split second laps in consentration… so even with all the rules…it still comes down to some luck to stay alive in this job…
csx engineer
The roll-by inspection was instituted to improve safety by spotting defects before they become hazards. Thus it is doubly sad when the safety procedure creates a hazard that causes loss of life.
Most guys I worked with would not get off. Unless you are at a location where you can RUN away from the tracks without having to cross a ditch or fence or water or trees… The railroad is a funny industry. They are all about safety. When we were training they told us we HAVE to do get out and do roll-bys. The conductors I trained with said most of the time it is very unsafe! Anything can fly off freight cars and cut you in half! The sad part is, some conductors out there will turn you in if you don’t inspect their train when they pass you. Dambed if you do, dambed if you don’t