A great day at Willoughby… hmmm, doesn’t that name ring a bell?
Close those back doors in Willoughby…
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That name has me thinking of the 1960 Twilight zone episode “A Stop at Willoughby”… is that what you were referencing, @Woke_Hoagland ?
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Willoughby? I think I’m slipping into the Twilight Zone.
Jeff
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Yes – I tried to paste a clip of them closing the hearse doors, but none of the sources I could find would let me paste a link.
That scene traumatized me as a kid… and still does.
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The Nebraska article does not specify which vertebrae. He was released same day from hospital, no complications or procedures.
A great episode
“Willoughby, Willoughby! Next stop is Willoughby!”
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Feature that if the spine is truly broken, one is not treated and released the same day.
From my limited time on the ground - climbing or and off railroad equipment, moving or still is not the easiest of an undertaking.- climbing into the cab of a steam locomotive is taking steps straight up. People using ladders around the house are accustomed to the ladder leaning at some angle other than vertical. The ladder of a steam engine or a E or F style diesel locomotive cab is truly a vertical climb - when one is not accustomed to it - it can be dangerous. I was able to climb on equipment easily in my 20’s and 30’s - now approaching 80 I would likely have much more difficulty. Those in their 40’s and up would have some difficulties if they had not been doing it previously.
He was wearing flat soled sneakers and the ladder was wet (oil burner locomotive). He claimed previous he climbed other Big Boys on static display and did not think this would be an issue, he slipped on the second to last rung. My view it happens. I would not do the same unless I could pass a hang test. Even if he was wearing a swiss seat with carbiner and ropes there would have been an issue here if he slipped do to the short distance to the ground (he fell 8 feet). Looks like his head almost hit the rail of the other track. I don’t see how this could have been prevented other than possibly have collapseable stairs and load via RR crossings. Even with that someone is bound to slip on the stairs. No idea what his age was my guess is late 50’s.
Balt & CMStPnP: Agree. Possibly he cracked his coccyx (tailbone) and that usually only requires rest and some acetaminophen. Vertical ladder climbing is very different than home angles. All in all, pretty dangerous undertaking for an amateur in sneakers.
110% the wrong footwear to have on railroad property attempting to mount ANY railroad equipment.
What I found interesting when I was learning flatbed load securement during my CDL driver training, was that they recommended flat sole safety shoes. In fact, they had ones styled like hightop sneakers. This was because when you walked around on top of a trailer, you constantly had to step over binder chains and straps. Without a heel, you were less likely to snag a heel and tumble to the ground.
The heel in a railroad environment provides at ‘foot stop’ when exerting leverage against steps and grab irons that are the basic forms of ‘ladders’ on railroad equipment. Without the ‘foot stop’ a foot can easily slip on a step or grab iron and put the person at serious danger.
Oh, I realize that. I was just showing how different dangerous occupations have different standards and needs.
Trucking has always been a step ahead of railroading.
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I dunno about Backshop, but what I learned about binders is that after they are in place, you should smack 'em with the pipe. That way, if they are a little loose, they’ll come off there, not on the road at 80 MPH.
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And I believe the proper phrase to use there is “that ain’t goin’ anywhere”
The incident happened where the lack of a heel may have been a causative factor. Trying to climb a steam locomotive cab ladder, that may have been coated with some form of lubricant - intended or not.
And anytime you load coils, you always have more securement to the rear. If you have to stop fast, you don’t want it breaking free and rolling forward and crushing you.
When I looked at the video, I saw that he seemed to be observing three-point as he got to the top of the ladder, but then stopped as if he were being blocked from actually entering the cab, with his back end hanging off. I thought I saw him let go the handrails just as he started falling, but now I wonder if his feet started tilting up due to fatigue and slipped off backward; he appeared to me to fall very quickly without any attempt to save himself.
The arch seems more important than a ‘heel’ in holding position on a cylindrical grabiron or similar form of step or support, but I thought the Big Boy had actual flat metal steps. A heel might never be supported going up, and the arch would then if anything tend to allow feet to sag and slip backward compared to a flat shoe with safety tread.
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