In my town there is a walking trail, going across a causeway. The only problem is, this path is super close to the railroad tracks. From the edge of the walking path to the rail is probably about 6 or 7 feet. It is quite a rush when walking and the train passes by. Also quite scary too. If the train were to tip over, or jump the tracks, you’d surely be a goner.
I’ve been curious about this lately.Do you know of any other places like this, or are we crazy?
There are some places around here where the station platforms don’t allow you to get much further back than that–and here in Lombard it’s possible to have freights moving by at 70 m.p.h. at that distance. If I ever heard an emergency application at that speed I’d be looking for the escape routes (and it would probably be too late, if cars were already derailed).
However, I’d be more scared by places like Thurmond, West Virginia (see the latest issue of Trains). To drive into that town, you use a single lane cantilevered onto the side of a railroad truss bridge–the trains are just a few structural members away from you, and there’s no telling what a derailment, even at the five or ten miles an hour that the train would be allowed, might take out. The New River isn’t too far down, but it’s pretty rocky and not too deep.
The odds of a train derailing while you happen to be there are pretty much zilch…
I’d be worried more about getting surprised by the train and stumbling into it’s path.
There’s a few subway stations I’ve been to that have an island platform and are very narrow. I don’t like those at all, as there’s moving trains on both sides of you. It’s especially bad when I’m with my family - including my 3 year old and 1 year old brothers… I worry about them much more than myself then.
Yeah. The odds of a train derailing are probably worse than the odds for the lottery.
There is a fence between the path and tracks, thank god. Many moons ago I was riding my bike, and decided to race the train. I was winning, untill I looked over my right shoulder to see how I was doing. I veered right, and went into the fence hard. Long story short, it is a good thing it was there! if it wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be here.
Where is this, Saskatoon ?
In Nova Scotia
Derailment concerns? Na. Stuff hanging off cars. Yes. Ever see what a broken steel strap whipping around can do?
Adrianspeeder
Harpers Ferry, West Virgnia has a walkway across the the railroad bridge that puts you very close to the trains - there’s a chain link fence in between, but it’s still a thrill to be on the walkway when a train comes through.
Enjoy
Paul
The north platform in Flagstaff AZ is pretty bad. You can hop the wall there if you need, but I don’t know that you would have time. Trains come through at a Hell of a speed (don’t know what, maybe Chad can help if he sees this thread). Only time I really felt absolutely 100% unsafe standing in a location that was supposed to be safe for the public was on that platform, hemmed in by that wall. (Felt plenty unsafe doing some stupid things in my youth, but that was all long ago, and none if it ever to be repeated.)
I was gonna ask about the fence. It’s nice to be close to the trains but even us railfans can find it intimidating, after all it is a train. I was watching a freight at a local crossing last night, amazing as anyone who has read my postings about my local RR know this is rare. But NS put on a show for me with four engines and a good line of cars. There is an old switch to a lumber yard next to the tracks, still used but far from new. Since NJTransit sends speeding commuter trains over this I assume it is safe enough, but at one point a loud noise from the freight by said switch made me jump back a bit. I would guess a freight car that toppled would probably cover a little more distance than it looks like it would from the ground.
As for Flagstaff I understand from a video I watched that they do not want their crossings blocked for long at all…Even Amtrak has a time limit on how long they can load and unload. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I watched “Circus Train Adventure” And while I love street running, wathing SD70s drag down the center of a narrow road would be rather quite unverving.
Hope you don’t walk that trail the day they decide to run a high-wide that route! [swg] Or, as another poster alluded to, you should see what a dragging chain or steel strap can do to a dwarf signal or DD!
Karl
Well if the speed is 10 mph or so big deal. But if they go 40+ mph then woe …
Sask has a cool bridge over the Sask river, I don’t know if the walkway is as close though.
Saw a chain flopping about off the side of a flat once - train was at speed. If that chain hit you, it wouldn’t be pretty, and we’d be lamenting your demise.
I used to stand on the platform of the Rantoul, IL station, watching the trains go by. At the time it was a two-track line and there were a lot of trains.
The track wasn’t all that great and the locomotives and cars did a lot of rocking going by the station. Probably the scariest moment I’ve had was watching an oncoming northbound and wondering if the locomotives were going to rock back the other way or keep on coming over toward the station. There would have been no out.
Of course trains traveling eastbound through Flag are on a downgrade and that presents its own speed restriction; you can hear the dynamics whining from a mile away. If you go east to just beyond town there is a speed restriction sign–I believe it indicates 40mph.
I have not done a lot of shooting from the vicinity of the depot but it can be a pretty scarey place to be standing if a train highballs past.
I learned to stand back away from the tracks when I almost got sucked under a GG1 at speed back in 1973.
When I was there a CSX train was coming across the bridge and I RAN to get across in a hurry!(when I was 6)(I don’t like walking on bridges either)
Also the old Amtrack Station had a little subway with a very small shelter across the track. That is about as close to a 50 mph westbound freight as I ever want to be. I wont be doing that again. But WOW what a view. One to remember.
I would think since the time Ive been there to now, they probably would have had the sense to close that shelter and fill in the subway. That mainline is just too important to the USA to be tampered with down there.
Is the North Flagstaff platform really that narrow? I’ve stood out there waiting for the Chief and never felt worried. Here’s a photo I found online of the Flagstaff platform. Looks just like how I remember it.
Perhaps the narrow area mentioned is closer to the highway bridge. But there’s no platform to speak off that far west of the depot. I think you all mean the platform by the parking lot. Yeah now that I think of it, it is kinda tight there. Why I usually wait closer to the depot.
The track speed there (from my dated 1993 Southwest Region Timetable) is 45-40. And westward there is sweeping curve right out of the station. The Southwest Chief usually takes it easy through this section.
I was unaware that Amtrak had to limit it’s time at the depot due to blocking crossings. But it could be true. However on the countless times I’ve traveled the Chief through Flag, when we were early we could not depart until the “as advertised” timetable departure time. And when we were late we didn’t depart until the baggage and passengers were all loaded and unloaded and there never appears to be any rush by the crew…at least over the radio.
According to the current schedule, the time allotted between arrival and departure at Flag is 5 minutes. But it typically is longer due to the large amount of passengers and checked baggage.
Been a while since I’ve done any railfanning at Flagstaff. I’ll have to go back someday since it offers loads of traffic in a beautiful setting. Williams Junction is also a great spot to watch trains in Northern AZ. So much raw speed and power through there.
You answered your own question, Matt… and yes, it’s that area west of where the photographer was standing, right by the parking lot.
Sort of like my spot. There is no easy out. You either get the train, or you jump over the fence, and tumble down to the water. Neither sounds fun.
Now, knowing the chances of derailment are slim, I still have to wonder.
Another thing that makes me wonder, is who thought this was a good idea. I imagine someone thought “yeah, it’ll never happen.”