Passenger Trains > Female struck, killed by Amtrak train in Balto. Co.

Obviously a tragic situation, but I am wondering: why was the girl walking to school at 9:02 AM (unless she was late)?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/commuting/bal-girl-killed-train0105,0,7142558.story

maybe she had a schedule with no first period classes?

I wonder if the area along which she was walking has been fenced and secured? I know that much of the NEC in NJ has fencing. At least the parts that are pedestrian accessible.

According to the article I read, the area is indeed fenced off. However, the police investigating the accident found a hole cut in the fence on both sides of the tracks. She was walking ON the tracks with her headphones on!!!

Would you post that link? I missed that one, but it apparently has more detail than I am finding at the "usual sources."

AmTrip Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> According to the article I read, the area is
> indeed fenced off. However, the police
> investigating the accident found a hole cut in the
> fence on both sides of the tracks. She was walking
> ON the tracks with her headphones on!!!

I was afraid someone would ask for it! :) I stumbled upon the article on my cell phone (Palm) when I was looking for a certain news story, but then the Amtrak accident in Baltimore popped up instead. A quick Google search, however, found this one:

http://tinyurl.com/y9wafxn

While it does not say she was wearing headphones, it does state that she was walking on the tracks and was hit from behind.

Thanks. The reason I wondered is, someone posted a comment on the Baltimore Sun article about how the girl was "probably wearing headphones" (or words to that effect). I wondered if that person's comment was based on anything, or just pure speculation (which is what 99% of the comments are based on).

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder if the area along which she was walking
> has been fenced and secured? I know that much of
> the NEC in NJ has fencing. At least the parts
> that are pedestrian accessible.

Well in the USA, that's all that seems to be needed
to turn the resonsibility back over to Amtrak and
away from the girl claimed to be walking with head-
phones while trespassing on an active rail line.

I'm sure the laywers have already asked that que$tion.

/Mitch

One of the things I find interesting is the video on WJZ.com stated it was a CSX freight train. Since CSX does not run on the Northeast Corridor in that part of Maryland, I find the top-notch journalism fantastic. Fact-finding? What's that?

The other big question I would ask is: while looking at video of the area in question, there is ample space in which to trespass on Amtrak property in this location without actually being in the gauge. Can people really be that clueless? These kids actually made the decision to instead of walking ALONG the tracks, they thought the better option was the walk ON the tracks?

Education only can go so far. My prayers go out to the crew, EMS workers, and everyone else affected by such a poor decision. I would imagine the big bad railroad is about to open its checkbook again.

-Don Kalkman

Very sad. Whenever I see kids walking near or on tracks I warn them about the danger... I say, 'Expect a train on any track in any direction'. I hope all on Trainorders will do the same if they see anyone on the tracks...

Steve