Another sad story from the Valley, after a girl in Kent also died the same way. If there is a lesson more important than safe motorcycle riding that you can teach your kids, it's to stay off the tracks.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004398403_webtrain07m.html
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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Was this a freight or Amtrak train that killed the man on the cellphone? Also, if it was a freight, I did not know they could go that fast in that area?
ReplyDeleteWhile the article doesn't say, my feeling is that it was a passenger train of some sort, whether it's Amtrak, Amtrak Cascades, or Sound Transit. Freight rarely runs at those types of speed around here, from what I understand. Very sad indeed.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I saw the early Sound-Off on the PI Article, and someone went into a tirade about this is what happens when these lines are at grade. They are partially right, but in that area, everybody should know it is an active main-line, it's only been around for over 100 years!
ReplyDeleteThat's true...the tracks have been around longer than anyone who would be walking on them. A great comment from BNSF recently - "The first thing a railroad employee learns is to expect movement of a train on any track at any time in any direction...and that's a message that we'd like to get out to the public as well."
ReplyDeleteMore Operation Lifesaver commercials are needed at the very least, and try to seal the corridor as much as possible, removing most grade crossings, possibly some kind of a fence, and where bridges are impossible, 4 Quadrant Gates and median separators are needed. Although there is no way to overcome ignorance. I was watching a video podcast made by TriMet awhile back, and they had the view the tracks from a LRV Operator, and she was showing that a few people out there try to chance it crossing the streets, and MAX is quiet, especially at the slow speeds in Downtown Portland. The pedestrian the camera highlighted was more concerned with his iPod than watching where he was going.
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