Choo-Choo Splat

[slacker]

Irregular News for 05.02.06

 

Portland, ME -- The death of a Maine boy who was hit by a train on a railroad trestle underscores a growing problem.

 

More than 500 people a year are being run over by trains.

 

The industry calls it "trespass fatality"-- people who are on railroad property illegally. That number has gone up, even while the number of deaths from accidents at crossings has gone down. There were 355 fatalities at railroad crossings last year.

 

Railroad officials say trespassing is a growing problem as people use railroad property to ride all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, to walk and jog, to swim and fish from trestles. Sometimes the results are tragic.

 

A week ago, 11-year-old Nathan Chheng was fishing with three adults from a trestle in Warren, Maine, when a train approached. Two adults made it to safety, but Chheng and another adult were hit by the train as they tried to outrun it.

 

Railroad officials said that nationwide the number of trespassing deaths now outpaces the number of deaths at railroad crossings.

 

And more homes and businesses have popped up along the nearly quarter million miles of tracks in the United States.

 

One other thing: fast-moving trains are a lot quieter than they used to be. There's less clickety-clack warning for people hiking or jogging along the tracks or fishing from a trestle.

 

Train engineers regularly report violations. The engineer of a 130-ton locomotive hauling passengers from Maine to Boston said he once found himself behind a snowmobiler barreling down the tracks.

 

source

[AR Husker Fan]

This is a good thing. Once again, cleans up the gene pool...

[huskerhaze]

Like this guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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[BIGREDIOWAN]

Anyone stupid enough to take on a train deserves what they get!!!

[husker rob]

Like this guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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what a f-ing idiot

[NU fan in Denver]

That was Close. Those trains move a lot faster than they look.

[chad1971]

This is a good thing. Once again, cleans up the gene pool...

In the wild - the weak and stupid get EATEN, I'm actually suprised the # isn't higher.

[drewalt]

it's an f'ing train!!! this is avoidable as hell,

 

For gods sakes you know where the train is going to be, the tracks are usually a good indicator:DON'T STAND THERE

[tattooedhusker]

don't forget the flashing lights, the warning sounds, and the barriers...dumb fricks

[BIGREDIOWAN]

That guy was a damn idiot. It's people like this that should have their reproductive organs removed so they won't pollute the rest of the world with their stupid off-spring.