Another incident which follows on the heels of the one reported last week. All aboard…next stop…the Dew Drop Inn…reminds me of that Neil Young song…“it’s too dark to put the keys in my ignition…” I mistook my car for a locomotive…ere, lets see what this here button does…"
(EUGENE) - On Wednesday at about 1:10 AM, deputies from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the Union Pacific railroad tracks near Judkins Point on the report of an intoxicated subject trying to drive a Union Pacific locomotive engine.
The locomotive was attached to several rail cars.
After being confronted, the subject was reported to be harassing the train crew and refusing to leave.
Upon arrival, the subject had left the area on foot.
The engineer of the train reported that the subject had snuck onto the locomotive and had depressed several levers and buttons, initiating about half of the sequence necessary to move the locomotive.
This kind of makes me long for the days when there was a trusty air hose wedged between the bottom of the control stand and the dead man’s pedal to use as might be needed.
Yet again another interesting incident. I am surprised the police didn’t book him for public intoxication.
I am surprised that the press still refers to train operation as “driving” a train or locomotive. I would imagine this must anger some train service employees because, a person can’t drive a train but, it can be operatd. There is no steering wheel.
I think calling this an attempted train jacking is a bit extreme. Just another example of alcohol fueled stupidity.
“DRIVE: 1 [ intrans. ] operate and control the direction and speed of a motor vehicle.”
No need for a steering wheel to drive something. Which is good, because I would imagine there would be a fair number of British railway workers upset to know that their jobs were fictitious (an Engineer in England is called an “Engine Driver”).
Cattle don’t have a steering wheel either, but they can still be driven.
I’m trying to work in a joke about a Steer, but I’m coming up blank.
A lot of Brit-speak on railroad subjects has found its way into media use, much to the confusion of everyone except journalists. (Did you know that Enola and the Argentine are, “Marshalling yards?” [(-D])
As for, “Driver,” don’t let Mark Newton learn that you said that. He’s an Australian who posts frequently on the Model Railroader portion of these forums - and the job title on his pay docket is, “Driver.” The same can be said of every Japanese operator of powered rail equipment - the word comes from early English influence on Japanese railroad practice.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with a d’riba in every cab)
thank goodness this knucklehead was caught in time,who knows what could or might of have happened if he got the train moving perhaps at high speed.he should be punished for his misdead.first for bieng drunk.(that in itself is stupid,stupid ,stupid)second for steal or rather the attempt to steal railroad property.third and not the least tresspassing on railroad property.also the endangerment of lives and the possibility of causing a derailment.throw the book at him.punish him for what he did and make him pay restitution to the railroad.
When people refer to running or operating a train in the States as “drive”, I mention that you can say “drive” for other vehicles- such as bicycles, ships, planes, or baby carriages. I once heard someone say “…those hijackers that drove the planes into the WTC.” It simply doesn’t sound correct.
To keep the quizzical looks at a minimum, make sure to try to use the proper word.
Don’t know about Oregon law, but he could be facing some major charges. I’d say likely B&E (not trespassing assuming that like Virginia, Oregon’s B&E law includes breaking into a railroad car with the intent to commit larceny), attempted grand larceny, and assault. He’ll get some time for that.
Thinking that a mental competency exam might be needed in this case though.
Guy walks into a bar, sees a another guy standing at the bar with a car’s steering wheel attached to his crotch, he asks “whats with the steering wheel?”…“Oh! I just hate it, its driving me nuts!”
