Passenger Trains > Acela Surprise Sighting...Sort of

The picture accompanying an article about a teenager killed by a Metroliner, printed in the dead tree edition of today's Philadelphia Inquirer but unfortunately not included with the net version of the story http://inq.philly.com/content/inquirer/2000/11/30/pa_west/WTRAIN30.htm , shows a local cop at Sharon Hill station, south of Philadelphia, with the Acela Express passing by. Judging from the time the police say they are out there and from the position of the sun, I am guessing it is a northbound, maybe #114 arriving in PHL at 2:41 (the accident happened at 2:40 on Tuesday). Unless it is another set in testing, of course.

#114 had the standard Metroliner equipment on both Tuesday... the day of the accident, and Wenesday 11-29-00. The crew of #114 on Tuesday indicated that they had almost hit the teenagers that were apparently playing "chicken". Having just pasted Sharon Hill the kids didn't realize the presence of the oncoming southbound that killed the teenager. The photo in the Inquirer was of a test train...

Chas

The kid apparently got caught between the fence and the train,with the train catching him and dragging him down the tracks.Had he had the enought sense to lay down,he probably could have gone unscathed,but being untrained,nonetheless a teenage kid,he froze and got whacked.There's a lot of people ,even on this aboard ,that think they would know what to do in a situation like this,but until you're put in a this kind of situation,I'm telling you right now,nobody has a clue.When you look up and see that train in your face,let me tell you,PANIC SETS IN!!!!!!!I had to be pulled twice from being hit.One was my fault,the other someone else was responsible,but no matter,fault is the last thing on your mind.2 other times I had the presence of mind or should I say that EERIE FEELING, that just makes you aware that danger is iminent and looked and got out of the way in time,albeit in the early years,pre job briefing days.

What I'm trying to say is no matter how careful you are and how much training you have,the railraod is a very dangerous place to work,let alone be in close proximity of tresspassing without permission or the proper training or protective equipment,and you need all three not one without the other.The FRA has mandated that we are not allowed to occupy, stand, inspect or work without (proper protection whether it's a watchman,foul time ,or track out of srevice), proper annual training,and proper personal protective equipment and no one can be out on the property without protection of some sort,YOU SIMPLY CAN'T BE OUT THERE BY YOURSELF WHETHER YOU'RE WORKING OR NOT, IT'S THE LAW!!!!!!!!!,so if the FRA, the labor unions and the railraods all ,don't want anybody out there by themselves ,THEY SURE AS HELL DON'T WANT ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE ANY OF THE FOREMENTIONED CRITERIA THAT THE WORKERS NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO in conclusion enjoy your hobby ,but stay clear and stay safe,THE SITUATION YOU PUT YOURSELF IN ISN'T AS ALWAYS AS SAFE AS YOU THINK IT IS.

TRACKMAN