Another good example of the stupid things people do around trains. I usually notice it when I read about collisions at grade crossings.
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Wow...just wow. If he'd been hit you'd be having nightmares for the rest of your life.
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John, I'm impressed you were able to compose and capture this photo under the circumstances. A sobering image to examine and to internalize.
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INCREDIBLE! You didn't happen to have a video camera rolling at the same time that you shot the still photo, did you? Only because there was not any fatality, I'd love to see that. People are so stupid at some times. Wonder if he had to change his underwear at the close call.
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You said suddenly, silently the train shot into view? Was the engineer not blasting on the horn? And if not, why would you think that is? Was visibility restricted by a corner before the bridge? Even if this guy was listening to an iPod cranked to the max, you'd think the blast of a whistle would jolt him back into reality. Maybe the engineer saw that he was off the track and didn't want to shock him into jumping or tripping in front of the train. Hopefully this dolt learned a lesson that day!
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Oh, and I forgot to mention - great job on taking this very dramatic shot!
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As I was reading your comments, the hair on my arms where raising, expecting the worse. Thanks for posting John!
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| Posted by SeanK97 on January 3, 2008 | |
I see that bridge weekly, NEVER have I seen a person on it, that was one lucky son of a gun no doubt, and BRAVO on the photo.
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| Posted by Larz on January 4, 2008 | |
This brings back terrible memories...
To W. D. Shaw...
One of my friends was struck and killed at a crossing in our hometown while standing to close to the tracks waiting for a southbound freight to go by. He was listening to his Ipod and never heard the approaching Amtrak traveling northbound. Lucky for this man, he had a better fate.
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Wow amazing capture! This is why when I'm near railroad tracks watching trains or at the airport passed the fence that I don't have headphones on not even for my radio, you must always be aware of your surroundings or don't be there at all! Once again amazing photo.
-Justin
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Larz, I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I guess I didn't realize just how much noise those iPod things can put out. My kids wear them, but always seem to hear me when I bellow at them. Then again, they're not standing at a crossing with a freight train passing. I will be sure to show them your comment. I hope it will give them pause for thought and perhaps save them injury or worse some day. Thank you for posting.
Wayne D. Shaw
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Very nice shot. I witnessed a similar incident about 5/6 years ago at Old Town in San Diego, two old ladies walking on the platform, six inches from the track when an Amtrak came through at track speed. I had yelled and waved at them, but they igorned me. Train knocked 'em down, but they both got up fine, flustered and embarrassed. It all happened so fast, they weren't even sure it was a train that came by. As an aside, there is no suction under a train. What happens is the wake knocks you down and once you are falling you are just as likely to fall into the wheels as you are away from them.
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My house is located just up the street from our railroad crossing. From my back deck I have an excellent view of the crossing and about 100 yards of track heading to the east. A group of kids with a baby in a stroller were waiting at the crossing while a train was switching in the yard. The crossing arms were down and had been for quite awhile when they got tired of waiting. They moved about 50 feet to the east and began to cross over the tracks keeping their eye on the train in the yard to the west. What they failed to notice was the train coming in from the east heading west at full speed. There are several tracks to cross & they had to lift the stroller over each rail. I could hear the engineer laying on the horn but they seemed to think it was coming from the other train. Finally one of the kids looked the other way and saw the other train coming. They managed to make it to the other side with about 30 seconds to spare. After the train went by they were still standing next to the track and all of them were just bawling. I was terrified they wouldn't make it in time and I know that that encounter scared the heck out of all of them.
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As a former police officer, I investigated a particular train/pedestrian fatality, man struck from behind while walking down the center of the tracks. My fellow officers (who are ignorant about railroads) insisted it was a suicide. I disagreed. My reasoning: a CP SD40 (horn located near the rear on long hood - can hear from a distance but not up close); strong wind in the mans face/hood over head (definitely diminished ability to hear from behind); welded rail (very quiet, even with a train at speed); angle of sun at a curve (directly on horizon, blinding crew from observing him); when observed, engineer HUNG on horn - while dumping the air - 5 secs prior to impact (man never flinched, nor did he know what hit him). My conclusion: the ignorant pedestrian THOUGHT he could hear a train from behind too. Moral and lesson: unless crossing the tracks (and looking prior to), do not walk on tracks or ballast of a railroad. Besides making the crew very nervous, it reinforces the rationale for strict trespass prosecution. The guy in John's photo got a second chance, my guy did not.
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