Dear All,
Suicides (or even unintentional deaths) are an issue that many locomotive
engineers will have to deal with during the course of their careers. It's
a significant problem, and it's been pooh-poohed until very recently. I
understand that NJ Transit actually has a psychological counseling program
for engineers that have been involved in such accidents. I'm sure that
many other railroads have similar problems, although it's done quietly.
I'd be interested in knowing how the E-L handled this issue.
I lived very near the spot in South Orange where three teenagers (two of
whom I knew personally) were killed back in the early 1970s by a Gladstone
express. The enginner went all the way to the end of his run without
knowing that he had hit anyone. The other three never knew what hit them.
What was never reported at the time was that they had been walking west on
Track 2 when an eastbound push-pull consist was starting up from South
Orange station with a monstrously noisy U34CH on the rear. They crossed
over to Track 1 (the center track) not realizing that the Gladstone express
was approaching from behind them, probably because they never heard it.
The fourth teenager happen to glance eastbound and saw the train
approaching at 60 mph and jumped just before it would have hit him. The
lone survivor ran to the Shop-Rite just eastbound of the station where they
called the police and fire department. One of the kids that got hit (who I
knew) was the son of a fireman who happened to be on duty and the father
ran the short distance to the accident scene to find out that his son had
been killed.
So, maybe this is a morbid topic...but I disagree that it isn't relevant to
this forum.
Chuck
Ken Clark
<portlandturn_@_yahoo
.com> To: bill guimes <vze3fhdr_@_verizon.net>
Sent by: cc: EL List <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
erielack-owner_@_list Subject:
s.elhts.org Re: (erielack) Two killed by passenger trains within 48 hours
12/01/2005 11:37 AM
Please respond to
Ken Clark
Bill,
I agree with you. A little common sense on present operations. It is
interesting to hear about changes to the line - Broad Street station
changes. Suicides and grade crossing incidents seem pointless and really
off topic.
Ken
bill guimes <vze3fhdr_@_verizon.net> wrote:
Gary:
I fail to see the merit of reporting fatalities, even when they occur
on former EL territory. If the people on this list are so fascinated by
the death of a person, then they can read it for themselves, in the
newspaper of their choice, in the privacy of their own homes, etc.
Bill
- --
Be a Locomotive Engineer:
Its the most fun you can have with 3000 HP
The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
Sponsored by the ELH&TS
http://www.elhts.org
- ---------------------------------
Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.
The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
Sponsored by the ELH&TS
http://www.elhts.org
The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
Sponsored by the ELH&TS
http://www.elhts.org
------------------------------
This HTML page is © 2000-2009 Blue Moon Online System and The Railfan Network
This page and the data contained therein may not be reproduced
for any form of commercial use without the explicit permission
of J. Henry Priebe Jr. or his duly authorized agent.