Mom, toddler in stroller killed by train

[snopes]

Police say a woman pushing a stroller across railroad tracks in western Pennsylvania was struck by a train and both she and her 2-year-old son died.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...TAM&SECTION=US

[purpleiguana]

I don't want to downplay the tragedy of the story or anything, but not getting hit by a train is pretty simple. Since the article doesn't mention that she had any kind of hearing impairment, trains are loud and can be heard coming from quite a ways off. Even if she did have a hearing impairment (or it was an exceptionally quiet train), she could have looked. If she had a hearing impairment (or it was an exceptionally quiet train) and there was poor visibility on the track, she could have tried to judge her mobility (or difficulty thereof) before trying to cross.

I can't help but feel that there is more to this story. My heart goes out to her children that survived.

[Steve Eisenberg]

This story gives some of the reasons for the accident:

Woman killed by train was restarting her life

If some of my children were on the far side of the tracks, and another on this side, I certainly would be tempted to get us all on the same side before an oncoming train separated us.

[Loyhargil]

Originally Posted by purpleiguana

I don't want to downplay the tragedy of the story or anything, but not getting hit by a train is pretty simple.

Agreed. I hate to sound harsh, but I can't help but think it was a "trying to beat the train" thing tied to impatience. My dad worked for the railroad for 40 years, and the number of accidents he saw for that very reason was astounding. And heartbreaking.

I know a lot of Dad's experiences made me particularly sensitive. As much as those guys want to, you can't stop a train on a dime. A lot of times, you can see these things coming, and even though you're sitting in one of the most powerful vehicles on the planet, you're powerless to stop what's about to happen.

There's a rail line that runs through our downtown, and I periodically see people try to beat the train, on foot and in cars, once the lights and the train whistles start. I makes my stomach churn every single time.

My heart goes out to her children that survived.

Also agreed. Those poor little mites!


ETA:

Originally posted by Steve Eisenberg:
If some of my children were on the far side of the tracks, and another on this side, I certainly would be tempted to get us all on the same side before an oncoming train separated us.

After reading the story, I can see that, yes. I still have to wonder why she was crossing at an unauthorized point, though. Again, I hate to sound harsh, but shortcutting just destroyed a family. I feel horrible for all of them, but I hope people can draw a lesson from this death. Does that make sense?

[Lainie]

I grew up in a town through which two railroad lines meandered in a way that created a number of crossings. My parents drummed into our heads that we were never to try to beat a train, or (and we knew people who did this) try to climb through a stopped train.

[Debunker]

Being the father of two train-obsessed boys (when they were little, anyway), I agree that they shouldn't have been where they were, and one should never try to beat a train.

But it is hard to judge the speed of an oncoming train. (I'm sure many pedestrians are killed because they couldn't judge the speed of an oncoming car, either.) And you may be surprised that a train just cruising along can be rather quiet if you're not paying attention. I have been trackside and been startled by a passing freight I never heard until it was close.

[Singing in the Drizzle]

Originally Posted by purpleiguana

I don't want to downplay the tragedy of the story or anything, but not getting hit by a train is pretty simple. Since the article doesn't mention that she had any kind of hearing impairment, trains are loud and can be heard coming from quite a ways off.

As a person that spends lot of time during the summer walking along train tracks. I can tell that the newer quieter more full efficient train can approach you making very little noise. They make more of a hissing noise than the usually rumble.

For the reasons above I when walking along the tracks. I try to walk as far off to the side as possible, keep alert and keep looking back over my shoulder.

[lyriccoloratura]

A girl in my town was killed the other day by a train. She was taking a shortcut from the high school to her home. This is the second death by train here in less than two years. The first was ruled a suicide, though.

They have been blowing the train horns a lot more since it happened. I think people who live near the tracks try to get the train companies not to blow them because they make so much noise, losing sight of the fact that it's an important safety issue.

LC

[Der Induktionator]

Originally Posted by Singing in the Drizzle

As a person that spends lot of time during the summer walking along train tracks. I can tell that the newer quieter more full efficient train can approach you making very little noise. They make more of a hissing noise than the usually rumble.

Trains here are very fast and very quiet. All are electric, so the only sound the locomotive makes is from the fans to keep the electrical equipment cool. You absolutely can not rely on hearing them approach, and am sometimes startled while waiting at the station. When they approach from around a curve sometimes, you can hear a sound from the rails that sounds like Star-Wars laser effects, but it isn't very loud.

You have to pay attention to the signal lights to know a train is coming, and look for headlights, but they approach very fast. It is simply not safe to be on (or even too close to) the tracks. Switzerland has therefore eliminated nearly all grade crossings on main lines. (The ones on the slower mountain railways will probably remain.)

[Eddylizard]

As to why she was shortcutting, Steve Eisenberg's link says that her home and the shops are immediately adjacent to the track and on opposite sides of it. Without gong down there to take a look, I've no idea how far the walk around is to the nearest crossing point.

Ultimately it's tragic but it is human nature to consider that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. She might have been tired, frazzled with three young kids in tow, carrying heavy shopping and just wanting to get the hell home.

As well as the quieter nature of modern locomotives Singing in the Drizzle mentioned, continuously welded rail which I don't know again was installed here makes them quieter still.

[Singing in the Drizzle]

Originally Posted by Der Induktionator

Trains here are very fast and very quiet. All are electric, so the only sound the locomotive makes is from the fans to keep the electrical equipment cool. You absolutely can not rely on hearing them approach, and am sometimes startled while waiting at the station. When they approach from around a curve sometimes, you can hear a sound from the rails that sounds like Star-Wars laser effects, but it isn't very loud.

You have to pay attention to the signal lights to know a train is coming, and look for headlights, but they approach very fast. It is simply not safe to be on (or even too close to) the tracks. Switzerland has therefore eliminated nearly all grade crossings on main lines. (The ones on the slower mountain railways will probably remain.)

In the US most train are diesel electric and most can be heard good distance away. Some of the newer more efficient models especial when pulling light load can be very quiet and sneak up on you.

As for hiking along the tracks here. I will continue to do it, since they are the closes thing to a trail between the mountains and the water. While there is room to walk along the track, it is better to climb a little ways down the rocks toward the water when a train does approach. This is very easly done if one keep a eye out for the trains. I perfer walking along to beach if the tide is out far enough that there is one to walk along.