Passenger Trains > Man hit by train had head on track (ABQ Rail Runner)

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An apparently suicidal man was struck and killed by a Rail Runner Express commuter train in the North Valley Wednesday evening.

A full investigation is underway although authorities said initial indications are the death is a suicide.

The incident happened just before 6:30 p.m. near Alameda Road. There were 20 passengers on the train at the time.

"It felt like a small, little bump, and you really felt just when brakes hit," passenger Phillip Gallegos told KRQE News 13. "That's all you felt."

Rail Runner officials said the engineer spotted the man, sounded the horn several times and hit the brakes but still struck the man as it took three-quarters of a mile for the train to stop.

Full story and video at the link. Condolences to the engineer who will live with the scene for a long time. Their have been two previous incidents with deaths by the Rail Runner, but they were vehicle crashes at crossings with no gates. This is the first suicide that I know of.

http://www.krqe.com/global/story.asp?s=8327420

Another sad story. Not intentionally trying to sound cynical, but these "so sad...my condolences to the train crew" responses to these stories are getting so repetitive as to sound clichéd.

Seriously though. it *IS* unfortunate that train crews (and by extension, passengers) have to suffer and/or be inconvenienced by incidents such as this. But really. What can you do about it? I read in another post that incidents are pretty much a part of the railroading life; it comes with the territory. Again. Not wanting to sound like a heartless oaf, but how can I feel sorry for...say...a trucker who is depressed because he has to deal with traffic. Or be away from home for weeks and months at a time? Isn't that a part of what being a trucker is? If they can't handle that, they should've chosen another career.

I know it may sound like a below-the-belt comparison, but sometimes you have to brush aside the idealism and the "should-be's" and "ought to be's" and look at the cold hard facts.

And now here come the "we need stepped up law enforcement and educational campaigns" replies.

I'm starting to wonder if that isn't going to turn into a "we need to burn the village to save it" mentality by stepping up with ever more aggerssive fines and even jail time for trespassers and the like. I can't help but wonder if the REAL motivation behind that isn't so much 'education' and 'raising awareness' so much as trying to look out for the well being of the folks on the train.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. But this is a big part of the reason we are losing both battles (the 'war on trespassers' as well as the 'war on terror') How do you deter someone who is either not afraid to die....or actually WANTS to? Anyone with even an ounce of common sense should understand the dangers of playing chicken with a train. And someone with suicidal intentions. How are you going to help them by slapping them with a fine and/or jail? All that's going to do is add to their misery. And instead of calling the coroner out to the railroad tracks, it will be to the persons home. Or another set of train tracks. Or on a freeway overpass. What have you solved? You only moved the problem from one place to another.

Enough already with this "we need to protect you from yourself" rhetoric.

No amount of ominous warning signs, fences, cameras, or ticket writing police officers will ever completely eliminate that. When someone is determined, they WILL find a way.

What caught my attention was "20 passengers aboard." 20?

Set up a track somewhere with an automatically reversing train going back and forth at all hours of all days. You get the rest of the picture. But, as I've said before, the passengers and crew deserve first consideration and should not be held hostage by a dead person.

alvogel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Set up a track somewhere with an automatically
> reversing train going back and forth at all hours
> of all days. You get the rest of the picture.
> But, as I've said before, the passengers and crew
> deserve first consideration and should not be held
> hostage by a dead person.

The next of kin should be forced to pay the hostages for their time ($100 per hour per hostage)
even if they have to sell all their assets.
They have the power to sue, so they have the power to keep their loved one on a leash to keep this from happening!

Also Law Enforcement needs to stream line the process and stop treating tax payers who pay their wages like dirt!

alvogel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But, as I've said before, the passengers and crew
> deserve first consideration and should not be held
> hostage by a dead person.
-------------------------------------------------------

And I agree. There is no reason to tie up the trains, tracks, passengers, etc for 6 hours at a time while "the investigation" is under way. 30 minutes max. Someone wants to turn themselves into patté a-la BNSF, let them. Bring out the fire hose and send the train on its way. Let the coroners and police fill out their paperwork at Winchells. In cases of suicide, it's pretty obvious what happened. No need to tie up everyone else for that.

Not sure I agree with forcing the kin to pay for "hostage demurrage", I'm not sure THAT'S such a good idea. How do you decide what goes to who? Even if it comes directly out of the deceased assetts, is that fair to HIS beneficiaries? What if there ARE NO assetts to pilfer from? Then who pays?

Sounds more like a knee-jerk response born out of frustration and anger as opposed to an idea that serves any practical purpose.

Many consider suicide by any means to be a very selfish act, because of the anguish it inflicts on those left behind. People who choose to involve others in their suicides are the extreme example, whether it's by jumping in front of a train, by leaping from a bridge or building onto a busy street, or by pointing a gun at a police officer expecting the officer to shoot back. They aren't thinking about anybody else, just their own drama.

Of course, ranting about it on this or any other Internet site is unlikely to accomplish much. But if you're reading this and considering offing yourself, do your fellow humans all a favor and go the private, quiet route: inside the car in a closed garage with the engine running....

"Man hit by train had head on track..."

Before, during, or after?

Here comes a $0.02 opinion:

We need to change some perspectives in this country, namely the media who always seem to take the side of the deceased. "The 'victims' family says the train should slow down through Dumberg." That logic falls apart quickly when applied to any mode of transport, since we'd all be "safer" just staying home and not having transportation at all. But we know the media thinks they need sensationalism, and doesn't really care how outlandish or ridiculous the story sounds. The 'victim' got what they wanted.

Anyway, I agree with the idea of 30-minute investigations. Does the whistle and headlights work? Thats about all we really need to know, the event recorder can be downloaded at the terminal. No need to delay 200-300 commuters (thinking Surfliner / Metrolink here) for one persons selfish act. No need for the responding police officers to make the engineer feel like a criminal either. His/Her day is bad enough already.

Crashela

In Japan, the family of the deceased must pay the railroad for time lost as a result of a suicide. Now, this may seem somewhat callous but different railroads charge different rates for the time lost. Many Japanese suicide victims "shop" for the railroad with the lowest fees before carrying out the final act.

Des-Lab Wrote:

> Not sure I agree with forcing the kin to pay for
> "hostage demurrage", I'm not sure THAT'S such a
> good idea. How do you decide what goes to who?
> Even if it comes directly out of the deceased
> assets, is that fair to HIS beneficiaries? What
> if there ARE NO assets to pilfer from? Then who
> pays?
>
> Sounds more like a knee-jerk response born out of
> frustration and anger as opposed to an idea that
> serves any practical purpose.

The next of kin would not hesitate for a second to sue all the affected parties
including those held hostage!
At a time when the costs of everything is going through the roof, debt is at an all time high we don’t need some moron to encure more costs when they more than likely could have prevented this to begin with!
Insurance cost go up, there is not enough money for new trains or improved service because it all goes up in smoke from the lawsuits

If the next of kin did the honorable thing, apologized for the action of their love one and just let it end that would not be a problem
But when they drag the poor crews into court for them to live all over again, waste million or more that makes my blood boil and the next of kin then should be forced to pay for the actions of their loved one!
Why should they benefit at tax payers expense
Put them in the poor house and maybe it will send a message when your loved one acts selfish you will not be rewarded and will pay the price!

Sorry I’m soo harsh but I just soo tired of stupid people being rewarded for stupidity

Crashela Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here comes a $0.02 opinion:
>
> We need to change some perspectives in this
> country, namely the media who always seem to take
> the side of the deceased. "The 'victims' family
> says the train should slow down through Dumberg."
> That logic falls apart quickly when applied to any
> mode of transport, since we'd all be "safer" just
> staying home and not having transportation at all.
> But we know the media thinks they need
> sensationalism, and doesn't really care how
> outlandish or ridiculous the story sounds. The
> 'victim' got what they wanted.
>
> Anyway, I agree with the idea of 30-minute
> investigations. Does the whistle and headlights
> work? Thats about all we really need to know, the
> event recorder can be downloaded at the terminal.
> No need to delay 200-300 commuters (thinking
> Surfliner / Metrolink here) for one persons
> selfish act. No need for the responding police
> officers to make the engineer feel like a criminal
> either. His/Her day is bad enough already.
>
> Crashela

Many many years ago (about the time I got interested in trains)
There was a story about a non- citizen scumbag whore who had two little girls near Upland
and while she was in bed paying off her drug debt her two girls walked over to the Metrolink Tracks
and were killed
My heart sank for the two little girls and the poor engineer and his conductor who had to hold the girls broken bleeding little bodies and look into their terrified eyes as they died (That has to be the worst experience anyone can think of and that would haunt me for years!)

Then to see that stoned rotten %%*^*&%*^% get on TV and cry "Oh my Babies! Oh my Babies! they murdered my Babies!" I really wanted to grab her by the scruff of the neck and bash her face into a brick wall!

I guess she and one of the scumbag fathers (who was never around until then) sued and won millions
(millions that could have paid for more service) (Crime does pay, while tax payers foot the bill!)

I had worked for a businesses that was forced to closed because of a scumbag trespasser that broke the law and got injured, they sued they won and I lost benefits and retirement because of it!

caseyjones Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In Japan, the family of the deceased must pay the
> railroad for time lost as a result of a suicide.
> Now, this may seem somewhat callous but different
> railroads charge different rates for the time
> lost. Many Japanese suicide victims "shop" for
> the railroad with the lowest fees before carrying
> out the final act.

I am still looking for stats on other countries around the world how they
handle delaying trains and passengers
I imagine China they just drag the carcus out of the way and continues on!

How about a book "Suicide for Dummies"

If I live to be 90 and can take care of myself I will call Dr Jack!
or maybe get my wifes permission (if she is still around)
and get a few hookers to love me to death

The story is incorrect, his head was not on the track. He was sitting on one of the rails.

You said the the mother and the absentee father sued and won millions. Do you have information on this case or is it conjecture, on your part? Please pass along the details of this case if they are available.

caseyjones Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You said the the mother and the absentee father
> sued and won millions. Do you have information on
> this case or is it conjecture, on your part?
> Please pass along the details of this case if they
> are available.


I'm guessing (I moved away and never saw another report on it)
If she and the scumbag father didnt win big, they must have gotten something like the automatic $100,000 per person no fault payout from Metrokink and the tax payers
And if so I hope the both overdosed on it!

If it's just a guess, then don't state it as fact.



parts545 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> caseyjones Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You said the the mother and the absentee father
> > sued and won millions. Do you have information
> on
> > this case or is it conjecture, on your part?
> > Please pass along the details of this case if
> they
> > are available.
>
>
> I'm guessing (I moved away and never saw another
> report on it)
> If she and the scumbag father didnt win big, they
> must have gotten something like the automatic
> $100,000 per person no fault payout from Metrokink
> and the tax payers
> And if so I hope the both overdosed on it!

What caught my attention was "20 passengers aboard." 20?

That is my problem with this boondoggle. The state is paying about $9.5 million a year to run between Belen and Bernalillo. Operating costs are projected to rise to $20 million a year when service is extended to Santa Fe. A ticket currently costs from $1 to $3. Farebox recovery is about 14% and is expected to decline to less than 10% after Santa Fe is added to the schedule. You can do your own cost per person calculations, however you slice it, taxpayers are screwed.

Cumbresfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What caught my attention was "20 passengers
> aboard." 20?
>
> That is my problem with this boondoggle. The state
> is paying about $9.5 million a year to run between
> Belen and Bernalillo. Operating costs are
> projected to rise to $20 million a year when
> service is extended to Santa Fe. A ticket
> currently costs from $1 to $3. Farebox recovery is
> about 14% and is expected to decline to less than
> 10% after Santa Fe is added to the schedule. You
> can do your own cost per person calculations,
> however you slice it, taxpayers are screwed.


On the other hand, it takes time for services like this to build ridership, and it's important to have off-peak as well as peak-hour trips, too.

I remember hearing in the 1970s about what a boondoggle the Washington Metro was. Today, it's bursting at the seams and they can't make the trains big enough. ABQ may never have the sort of transit density that DC has, but give it a shot.

For the record... I too recall the Upland incident, although most likely the story has fallen out of most news archives. Its been too long for me to recall the outcome/settlement.

I will temper my earlier response by saying this incident is one of the sadder events I've read about. Sad, because some dumb-dumb parent was too involved in whatever to know what their very young chidren were doing. A full blown case of child neglect. But in this society we have built, you can be a total loser, neglect your children, engage in criminal acts and still cry foul in the media (and the news stations are more than happy to broadcast your alligator tears.)

Plus when you eff up, you get paid.

Crashela
Ain't it great?