Next stop, finish line! Train slows Des Moines marathoners
The short version is that the leaders encountered the Iowa Interstate in action about 100 yards from the finish line.
One simple phone call…
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091018/SPORTS14/91018007/1003/archive
The people putting on the marathon had been in contact with the IAIS. The railroad took responsibility for the train operating thru the area when they had agreed to hold them during the time the marathon took place.
The article says races are interrupted by trains more than people think. Here’s an idea, lay the course out so it doesn’t cross tracks at a grade crossing.
Jeff
LOL this happened in the Quads a few years ago. the IAIS train had to stop and runners were climbing over it.Maybe Mr Posner doesnt like runners?
I hate to insult Iowans, they are so good at it themselves. The organizers of the marathon certainly didn’t do their homework on this one. They set and example of “just run around the train when it passes” . And they get national attention for this. With the opening of the Northstar Rail here next month, I hope none of the passengers saw this way to avoid the train. As often happens in the Chicago area, I am sure we will have a fatality as someone runs around the train on track 1 to be squished by the train on track 2.
Des Moines, Iowa simply is not famous enough!
Pasadena, California, on the other hand, is famous beyond imagination.
And the town had no trouble keeping Santa Fe’s westbound Super Chief from blocking the famous Rose Parade route once each year. Matter of fact, head honchos of Santa Fe use to park business cars on the single-track main at the grade crossing and watched the parade.
Today, commuter interests own the ex-Santa Fe line, and they tunneled under the famous Colorado Blvd., route of that Rose Parade.
Every New Year’s Day the nationally televised parade comes toward the camera on Colorado Blvd. The opening-way between buildings on the right is where the Santa Fe line used to cross. The westbound Super Chief ran from photo right to left.
This is a northward view of the ex-Santa Fe right-of-way at Colorado Blvd. The Parade crossed from photo left to right. Tunneled underneath the old right-of-way now is the Gold Line with frequent trolley-like cars traversing it.
Des Moines’ marath
Mistakes happen. Those of us who have planned events (triathlons, 5Ks, etc) have lots to deal with and sometimes how you ask is as important as who you ask. A follow up phone call has also never hurt, either.
The more I ponder this topic, the more I think that the railroad is the entity with the “problem.”
Traditionally, larger railroads pounce upon ANYTHING that could be a disruption or safety concern, no matter how insignificant, and look at it as a life and death safety matter whether it is or not.
The fact that there could be a ‘miscommunication’ over the matter tells me the railroad in question has big problems. While I am not a railroader, I do know that railroading is a life and death business where everyone MUST be on the same wavelength.
I agree, and here’s why:
Unfortunately, the RR’s have no choice. Someone gets hurt on the R.O.W., the first thing they do is call a lawyer, and the Evil Big RR Company gets sued. We have to look at the big picture here. I’m not anti-marathon, but the levels of importance on a state or national level are magnitudes of scale apart in significance. Go run on a trail somewhere where trains aren’t allowed. Or, go for the Darwin award, and bring a pole-jumping stick along. My experience is that a significant percentage people who have just hit mile 26.1 in a marathon are about as coherent as a sleep-walker. Plan better. Protect people from themselves because in marathons its not about the thrill, its all about beating a person, record, personal-best…and other concerns pale as the miles build up.
[2c]
Ed
Twenty-six miles is a lot of ground to cover. Doing so in an urban setting while keeping potential conflicts to a minumum would be quite the challenge. Heck, doing so in a rural setting could be a challenge.
I would submit that IAIS isn’t a transcon with dozens of trains daily. Unless they’ve got some time-constrained freight, it shouldn’t have been that big a challenge to call a crew an hour or two later (or earlier) that day or to otherwise provide a window for the race to use that crossing unimpeded.
It’s good public relations - and you never know when you might need to capitalize on that. People wouldn’t remember that the train didn’t interfere with the race, but they’ll definitely remember that it did.
You guys are right about IAIS not being a big line. IIRC the Quad Cities issue was the train was held out by Colona or Carbon Cliff and was to wait till after the race. Someone told em bring em on in. Just doing what they were told.They had to stop to line a switch to get from their line to the industrial track and wound up blocking the crossings.Only reason BN and ICE didnt get involved is our trains out on that stretch f line were off as it was the weekend.
I certainly can’t disagree with that point!
Ed