Amtrak hit a pedestrian yesterday crossing the tracks in a motorized wheelchair.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20051209-0824-bn09train.html
Dan
MAN!! it really fries my eggs when these nutcases try to go around the safety precautions to try and beat the train. Imagine the emotional scars the engineer is going to carry for life as a result of this?
I wi***he lowlife that done it would have survived, so somone could kick his but for being so stupid… [|)]
Bummer, I doubt that they post any pictures on this one.
At least they haven’t blamed the train, yet…
Did an accident survey in Albuquerque in 1990 that was later classified as a suicide. Same story here?
Probably the only piece that will come out on it. The local horn ban NIMBY brigade doesn’t want to publicize any mishaps which involve auto/pedestrain and the RR’s. It’s similiar to the airport situation here. The town grew all around the Surf Line…so it’s probably too late have separated ROW now.
I know, the engineer will take it to his grave. Also, I sure wi***he media would learn who operates the train. The stereotypical conductor punches tickets…if he’s doing that, how is he driving the train? Must be an engineer in there somewhere. Too bad nobody knows anything about railroading anymore.
I think this is just sad, the guy wasn’t an idiot, he just didn’t know how fast the train is.
I pass through downtown San Diego along those tracks regularly and see pedestrians
crossing past downed gates all the time. It’s the same California state of mind that says you can cross in front of moving cars because they will stop, somehow…after all, you’re
the pedestrian…(I just think they are lacking the survival gene)
No, whats really sad about this is that this is the third death in that same area within a week.
Im with u on this one…[}:)]
To elaborate on Matt’s comment. First at the same Taylor Street crossing at the north end of the Old Town Transit Center, an adult bike rider rode around the gates and was hit by a Surfliner. Then, a mile or two south of there, a man was crossing tracks away from any grade crossing and ran out of the way of an oncoming Coaster, evading that successfully by running smack (you should pardon the expression) in front of a trolley coming from the opposite direction (there are four tracks in that area, two railroad and two trolley).
It’s probably about time for the local cops to start “sitting in” like they do in other problem spots and start to hand out citations wholesale until people start to get the message. I doubt they will get the message, being a cynic by nature, but as you all know, the City of San Diego can use every buck it can get these days, so I’m all for stepped-up enforcement.
Prayers and thoughts go out to all involved. God Bless
I do wonder what was going through the mind of the paralized senior? I guess he must of misjudged the train’s speed, and distance. Well first off he shouldn’t of decided to go around the properly working protection equipment, that’s a big no no, espeacilly for someone who is confined to a wheel chair, and isn’t able to dodge out of the train’s way in time.
The man would have died an honorable death if he was hit by a REAL engine- an F40PH with 5 amfleets! Not an F59PHI with a little cab with bumps and rattles pulling 6 bi-level cars [V]
I suppose it doesn’t matter whether it was a F59PHI, F40PH or Thomas the Tank Engine…dead is dead.