By William G. Jungbauer | Published December 19, 2013 | Posted in Train Accidents | Tagged Tags: suicide by train, unguarded crossings | Leave a comment
Latest Railroad Suicide Brings to Light Safety Issues
With a suicide occurring once every 30 seconds worldwide, our nation’s railways unfortunately provide the means through which despondent souls sometimes try to end their pain. The latest suicide by train occurred in suburban New Jersey when a 39-year-old man laid down on the railroad tracks during morning rush hour. The 89-car freight train could Read More
Read MoreBlinded by the Light: Couple Narrowly Misses Motorcycle-Train Collision
A Fort Wayne, Indiana couple’s late afternoon ride on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle ended abruptly when the driver skidded to a stop at a nearby railroad crossing. The crossing’s arms were down and the crimson lights flashed to no avail. Blinded by the setting sun, the motorcycle driver never saw these signs until it was too Read More
Read MoreTouring Train and Truck Totaled in Deadly Collision
The Cheat Mountain Salamander is a sightseeing train named after a rare breed of lizard-like creatures found among the majestic red spruces of West Virginia. These magnificent trees, along with other species, draw crowds to the region every year to view the fall foliage and enjoy the crisp Appalachian air. One such group had a Read More
Read MoreRailway Victims Won’t Be Silenced Regarding the Risks of Quiet Zones
For Moorhead, Minnesota, freight trains have been part of the community since it’s inception. As such areas blossom, the demands of the railroad and the needs of local townspeople sometimes clash, requiring innovative solutions that maintain industry growth without running roughshod over personal liberties. One of the residents’ biggest complaints is noise pollution produced by Read More
Read MoreCalifornia Crossing Continues to Claim Kids’ Lives
According to many residents, Riverside, California railroad crossings have witnessed one too many fatal accidents involving the local youth population. The latest victim was a 15-year-old who stepped out in the early evening of October 11, 2013 for a quick bike ride. While the rider waited patiently for an eastbound Metrolink commuter train to pass, Read More
Read MoreThe Best Offense: Communities Practice for Potential Train Disasters
Before memories of recent rail tragedies fade, some communities are girding themselves for the future by making disaster preparedness a top priority. By addressing inadequate response capabilities and lack of planning before crashes occur, communities hope to minimize damage from accidents that cannot be prevented. Such exercises include mock train-crash training in places like Marshfield, Read More
Read MoreWhen Train Accidents Occur, Are Helping Hands Hard to Find?
For most people, helping the homeless means making a financial donation or volunteering at a food bank for those less fortunate than themselves. A San Francisco–area man recently seized an opportunity to literally lend a helping hand. When the man approached a rail crossing in his car on a Monday-midmorning jaunt in his car to Read More
Read MoreUtah Woman Fought the Law and the Train Won
Utah police in hot pursuit of a 29-year-old female suspect chased her right into two oncoming trains. The woman’s barely recognizable Mercedes remained at scene of the accident for hours, jammed underneath a locomotive and bearing witness to the damage a train can do when it collides with an automobile. While the assailant managed to Read More
Read MoreTrain Accident Victims Charged with Trespassing on Railroad Property
A Kansas man who serves in the U.S. Army is one of the nation’s most recent train accident victims. The 25-year-old private was walking along railroad tracks in Topeka, listening to his headphones, when train crew members spotted him. Blasts of the train’s horn apparently went unnoticed and despite hitting the emergency brakes, the train Read More
Read MoreIndustrial Train Accidents: Financial Fallout Lasts Long After Clean-Up
The U.S. has seen a disturbing number of industrial railroad accidents on its expansive rail system during the past several years, due in large part to an energy boom in western states and the need to distribute oil. While the economy and unemployment rates have improved as a result, increased strain on the rails has Read More
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