Just heard on the news that some teenagers threw some bricks at the train while it was moving. The engineer lost a couple teeth.
That’s worse that graffiti.
What is this world coming to?
[:(!]dekruif
If they catch them that should be attempted murder… one count for each person on the train. That is one place I go for Zero tolerance.
Sorry to say that it has been going on for some time in some of our urban areas. I’ve seen road switchers with fine steel grate protecting the windshields. Sad.
Our highway overpasses all have chainlink fencing with the tops curved inwards to keep dopes like this from tossing thing down on the cars. I guess we need to apply the same protection to bridges over railroads.
Usually, of course, when we hear about teenagers vs. trains, the teens come out the big losers.
Noth new. Some railroads in the U.S.A have had “Ghetto Grates” over the cab windshields since when, the 1970s?
Unfortunately, sometimes they kill the driver when they do this on the highway. I have taken care of far too many children (ejected from the car) injured by other children. It is an epidemic in our country… probably due to the lack of model railroading… ah, oops, I mean parenting! (Although one can impact the other [:)]. Anyways, to lock them up does not fix the problem…they just get out and become bad parents and the cycle continues. This is a really a complex social problem beyond the scope of this forum…
Brian
Just how long has this been going on?
I once had a rail history book which I received as a gift for my 16th (give or take) birthday. One thing that stuck in my memory was a reward poster offering the munificent sum of $15 for information leading to the apprehension of a, “Boy, aged 14 or so, seen throwing rocks at the Cars.” It was done in the sixteen typeface style of the mid-19th century (at which time $15 was a good week’s pay.)
Maybe it was my upbringing, but I always preferred waving to the engineer to throwing rocks at him.
Chuck
Why would anybody do something like this? What do they get out of it? I agree, I would rather wave at the engineer than threw bricks at him. Probley dope. Mike
Where did this occur? Which railroad was involved? Would be great if these punks were brought to justice soon.
With the engineer severely hurt (and disfigured?) this must be a felony! Hopefully the railroad involved will post a reward for the capture of these perps.
I like kids and work with them, but have little sympathy for crimes like this.
About 30 years ago some moron kids through a chunk of ice over a bridge in Oshawa and it ended up going through the windsheild of the Gray Coach bus my dad was driving. It hit the passenger side and my dad wasn’t hurt but the lady sitting in the front seat lost her eye sight. To this day when ever I see people on a bridge I’m about to pass under I change lanes real quick just before I go under it.
I don’t know where this happened or what railroad was involved. I don’t think the engineer was hurt, except for losing a couple teeth. They showed a little vidoe clip from in the cab and it was at night.
[:(!]dekruif
They should be caught, convicted, and sentenced to being castrated by being ran over by railrway train.
James
I’m all for it.
Next our engineers will have to carry hand guns for portection. I would at learst have a pellet gun but I’m sure that the railroads have rules against that.
Reminds me of the time I saw a kid throw a garbage can top at a commuter train engineer, as the train was on approach. I tried to break his neck, but he ran to fast. The garbage can top ended up hitting a third rail and made the loudest explosion I’ve ever heard, which scared me and the motor man. He ended up just creeping the train by to where the explosion occured. I remember this happening back in the mid summer of 1991, and it still pisses me off to this very day. Sorry for the negativeness folks !
Yipes! I don’t know, but losing a couple of teeth seems severe to me ( and painful )! That’s time off the job this engineer has to take to see a dentist or oral surgeon. I’m upset because if this case is true, it’s senseless. When caught and convicted, the perps should also be required to pay this man’s medical bills.
I’m not a perfect parent, but it should make one wonder what kind of upbringing did these thugs have at home?
Been There. Done That. Have the T-Shirt.
OK…I was never injured, but I have been rocked. It’s scary to see the supposedly shatterproof glass infront of you shatter. Another fun one, is when the drag something out in front of the train, sometimes for kicks, sometimes to stop the train so they can break into it.
Nick
Check out Otto Nobetter and the Railroad Gang (1957) from The B&O Musuem LOCO TAKES I. This stiff has been going on for quite some time.[V]
That is for sure. From The Road of the Century: “During 1849-50 trains (on the Michigan Central) were stoned and shot at, stacks of engine firewood, lumber and ties were burned, and cars were derailed.”
Sorry to say that it’s stuff like this that leads the Railroad companies to be paranoid of legitimate railfans.