Western Railroad Discussion > Sad un-necessary accident in South Austin, TX

A teen girl was seriously injured when they were struck by a train near Crockett High School in South Austin on Friday morning.Police and Austin-Travis County EMS said the collision happened along West Stassney Lane just east of Rose Hill Circle around 5:10 a.m. Friday. EMS said the teen is conscious and has injuries to her lower extremities.  The injuries were said to be non-life-threatening.
There are numerous no trespassing signs posted by UP, guess folks can't read or don't want to pay attention.I live near this crossing and since it's now a silent crossing, I was wondering why the train was blowing it's horn numerous times.

I hope that the teenager survives and can 'recover' from her serious injuries.

I feel sorry for the train crew who tried to warn her as they approached.  There have been several deadly accidents near this site with trains hitting teenagers, mostly with headphones on, 'music' turned up loud.

Why was she out at this time of the morning, maybe going to school early.

Hopefully some questions can be answered.

Unfortunately, accidents like this will continue because the tracks are next to the high school.

Throughs and prayers for all involved.

Correct, because high schoolers think they are invincible, and common sense is no longer taught in school. This will be talked about in school, the parents will sue the railroad, high school and city for udgrading to a no-horn crossing. Instead, the crew should sue the parents for putting the them through this un neccesary act of stupidity. The city should sue the parents for EMS services. Time to turn the the tables on this type of idiocy.

"Unfortunately, accidents like this will continue because the tracks are next to the high school. "
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/17 14:37 by SP4360.

I totally agree.  Seveal years ago when a male student was killed out of the location, about 1/2 mile or so, UP special agents and Austin PD station themselves at various known locations where the students were getting on the track.
Students, depending on their age as well as parents were given tickets.
How is my child supposed to walk to school where there is no bus transportation, the normal route is too long, story after story.
Looks likes it's time for another enforcement policy, although it WON'T help.
Sometimes I drive across this crossing and it's not unusual to see students walking up and down the tracks, even with UP special agents present.
No easy solution.

Pat
South Austin, TX

Fences don't help either. Where I work, it was a daily occurence to see kids walking down the tracks on the wrong side of the fence between crossings. They just can't quite get in their heads that tracks are not sidewalks. Go around, so what if it takes an addtional 5 minutes, they're texting anyway and have absolutely clueless as to what's going on in the 15ft of space around them.

sptno Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I totally agree.  Seveal years ago when a male
> student was killed out of the location, about 1/2
> mile or so, UP special agents and Austin PD
> station themselves at various known locations
> where the students were getting on the track.
> Students, depending on their age as well as
> parents were given tickets.
> How is my child supposed to walk to school where
> there is no bus transportation, the normal route
> is too long, story after story.
> Looks likes it's time for another enforcement
> policy, although it WON'T help.
> Sometimes I drive across this crossing and it's
> not unusual to see students walking up and down
> the tracks, even with UP special agents present.
> No easy solution.
>
> Pat
> South Austin, TX

What happened to that girl is very sad.

No one can ever afford to be stupid around large things that move.
The laws of physics are merciless.

My solution?

When kids are caught on RR property using cell phones or
listening to music with or without using earbuds or headphones,
the police would immediately confiscate their cell phone and
earbuds and headphones.  They would be returned: 
on first offense -- in 30 days 
on second offense -- in 90 days 
on third offense --  not until the kid turns 18, and, for 17-year-olds, in 365 days  

NO exceptions.  THAT would teach them not to trespass on RR property!

I just wish with all my heart that there were some quick way to
heal the pain of the crew, who could never avoid hitting the kid.  
Ditto the kid's parents, as losing a kid is one of the worst things
that can ever happen to a parent, and no matter what a parent
says or does -- other than confiscating their kid's cell phone and
earbuds and headphoness for the same period of time as above --
the kid will too often refuase to obey sensible rules.  Kids can
never really "get it" abut their own mortality, but this punishment
would teach them not to trespass on RR property.

Well what are you going to do with the ones that get "caught" by the coupler?

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What happened to that girl is very sad.
>
> No one can ever afford to be stupid around large
> things that move.
> The laws of physics are merciless.
>
> My solution?
>
> When kids are caught on RR property using cell
> phones or
> listening to music with or without using earbuds
> or headphones,
> the police would immediately confiscate their
> cell phone and
> earbuds and headphones.  They would be
> returned: 
> on first offense -- in 30 days 
> on second offense -- in 90 days 
> on third offense --  not until the kid turns 18,
> and, for 17-year-olds, in 365 days  
>
> NO exceptions.  THAT would teach them not to
> trespass on RR property!
>
> I just wish with all my heart that there were some
> quick way to
> heal the pain of the crew, who could never avoid
> hitting the kid.  
> Ditto the kid's parents, as losing a kid is one of
> the worst things
> that can ever happen to a parent, and no matter
> what a parent
> says or does -- other than confiscating their
> kid's cell phone and
> earbuds and headphoness for the same period of
> time as above --
> the kid will too often refuase to obey sensible
> rules.  Kids can
> never really "get it" abut their own mortality,
> but this punishment
> would teach them not to trespass on RR property.