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i didnt watch the video but take offense at the language you use in your post.
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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I have to say that I was surprised how quickly that train stopped. They looked like they were flying, but managed to stop the train before the rear even made it to the camera. I don't think I've ever seen a train stop that fast.
I don't know how reliable the comments are on YouTube, but the person who posted it says that the girl was contacted by the police department and charged appropriately.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Perhaps the OP meant "twit." "Twat" refers to a defining portion of the female anatomy.
Whatever the case, the girl indeed was brainless and irresponsible.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Coincidentally, Amtrak PR released this today:
AMTRAK PUTS FOCUS ON RAILROAD TRESPASSERS AND DRIVERS WHO VIOLATE RAIL CROSSING SAFETY LAWS Officer-On-A-Train program designed to educate, catch violators
OAKLAND, Calif. — As part of California’s Rail Safety month, Amtrak is today conducting a special rail safety program in the Richmond, Calif., area to educate local law enforcement officers, have them witness what train engineers observe daily, and issue tickets to motorists driving illegally through rail crossings or to someone trespassing on the tracks.
The Amtrak Police Department is joining forces with Operation Lifesaver, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, the Union Pacific Railroad, the BNSF Railway, the Richmond Police, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff Department for this Officer-On-A-Train program where the officer rides directly along side the locomotive engineer. When the officer observes the illegal behavior on the tracks ahead another officer that is following the train on the street is contacted to pull the motorist over or stop the individual and enforce the law.
“When the crossing gates are down and the lights are flashing you are dead wrong if you think you can beat the train,” said Joe Deely, Amtrak General Superintendent, Pacific Division who stressed that by the time a locomotive engineer can see a vehicle or a person on the tracks it’s too late to stop the train in time to avoid a collision.
There are over 11,000 at-grade public highway-rail grade crossings located within 52 counties and 400 cities in California, including 103 grade crossings along the Capitol Corridor route.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Aside from how terrified the engineer must have felt when the girl ran and stopped right in its path, imagine what that hard, and I mean hard emergency application did to all the brake shoes on that train. You can really hear just how hard the brakes were applied.
God this bugs me. Shortly after pulling their stunt, I noticed the girls smiling while talking to the older lady.
I suspect the camera guy was in on it too. Don't care what's been posted by him on YouTube. Terrible shame as he has a scanner. Puts us railfans in a real bad light now. That spot doesn't look like your typical train fan spot. And too much of being in the right place at the right time for my liking. So that's why I think he was in on it.
-------------------- Matt Visit gallery for photos of our train layouts Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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Kids will do stupid things. They did once again. Herein I note we have gone from unhappiness with "articulate" to unhappiness with "tw*t" in one week! Even though Wickipedia claims it can mean a fool, the common usage seems to be more vulgar. I did get a chuckle out of the gaffes noted in Wickipedia, though. I do enjoy this forum. Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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I once talked a depressed student out of jumping in front of a train near his home in Fayetteville, NC. That's been 12 or 13 years now, wow.
The kid went on to complete a college degree (in 6 years due to some illness along the way) and is now a 2nd year law student. I was thrilled to be invited to his wedding.
But that was a call for some help.....not an act of madness as this Youtube stunt was.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I think at one time Salisbury had the highest number of railroad track crossings in the shortest distance in North Carolina. I remember them closing quite a few of them to avoid risky behavior by motorists. There were also incidences of the homeless being victims after spending the night sleeping on tracks. I do remember as a child laying coins overlapping onto track rails to achieve an elongated .16cent piece and my mom saying it would derail the trains. That scared me enough to keep my distance from oncoming trains. I just can't imagine deliberately standing in the path of an oncoming speeding train. Sheer stupidity. I think jail time and a heavy fine were in order for our YouTube starlet.
Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Mr. Lion I suggest you read the article in Wikipedia "white trash" This is the way I would interpret the term. I do not want to start another verbal to do so I will leave it at that.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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I sincerely hope that there was a police investigation of this incident. It is difficult to believe that the recordist "wasn't in on it', and I doubt if it would be much trouble for police to find him - in fact I think there is a related video of his that is as good as a confessional.
But as Mr. Andy Smith knows, "they're Juvies" and as a result, as good as outside of the criminal justice system. But maybe law enforcement could give them, and for that matter their guardians, a little "Detective Stabler treatment'. Oh, and how about a Bill from Amtrak Mechanical Department for the additional inspection and change out of brake shoes (maybe even a wheel set or two) that surely was needed arising from this little "prank".
Somewhere, there is a bleeding heart that holds sympathy for the kids involved, but I don't think you will find any participating at this forum.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I suspect the camera guy was in on it too. Don't care what's been posted by him on YouTube. Terrible shame as he has a scanner. Puts us railfans in a real bad light now. That spot doesn't look like your typical train fan spot. And too much of being in the right place at the right time for my liking. So that's why I think he was in on it.
SWC and Mr. Norman,
I originally thought the same thing before I did some poking around on Youtube last night. The young man doing the filming has 300 other Youtube clips going back two or three years. Most of them are shots of Amtrak's 'Vermonter' arriving in or departing Amherst, MA or zooming by various grade crossings in the surrounding area. Others are of various freight train operations in the same area. He notes things like why a crossing has an extra pair of flashing lights above the crossbuck (because it's at the top of a steep hill) or that a particular freight locomotive has had a new horn installed since the last time he filmed it.
In none of the dozen other clips he has posted that I watched was there any evidence of 'pranksterism'........just of a teenage railfan perfecting his craft while enjoying watching Amtrak at speed through his hometown.
I think that the videographer showed poor judgement in posting this particular clip though. Perhaps he should have turned it over to the authorities right away instead.
So.......while I'm not saying I'm 100% convinced that the youngster with the video camera wasn't in on it, I am saying that there is enough contrary evidence to raise a reasonable doubt. You spend enough of your free time to shoot 300 video clips of trains rushing past grade crossings in a two year period, there is a reasonable chance you'll catch someone doing somethig stupid on tape.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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If they had left the Montrealer alone this wouldn't have happened.
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
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According to the article, the videotographer was not involved in the crime AND the juvenile perpetrators will be criminally charged, or at least to the extent that is possible to do so in a "juvie' case.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I can easily envision a situation in which the videographer did not prepare for or condone the actions of the girls. Frankly, most kids in his neighborhood today probably consider the photographer a bit of a weirdo, taking pictures of trains, etc. The girls could be just messing with him/his video's to tease, or to "ruin" one, etc. It would be interesting to search for a follow up story, if printed.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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According to the article, the videotographer was not involved in the crime AND the juvenile perpetrators will be criminally charged, or at least to the extent that is possible to do so in a "juvie' case.
Great! I'm glad a law enforcement agency finally did a proper and thorough follow-up for a situation like this.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Unless I missed it, I am surprised we haven't heard the story for the point of view from someone actually on that train. I can imagine the emergency stop had to have jolted people, tossed personal items to the floor, and may have as well thrown riders for a loop that may have been up out of their seats. This could have easily injured riders on the train.
She should spend time in Juvy Jail.
Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Those girls were so stupid. I remember having friends who were going to do that to the Silver Star, a day it was late, I called the police, when I saw them that day outside. They have never tried it again, after the police dealt with them. I have no clue what is going to stop people from doing things. I see some peoples pictures on facebook, and there standing in the middle of the tracks, with trains coming up from behind. Those kids who were in front of the train should be arrested, and face the fullest extent of a penalty by law. I wonder if anyone on the train was hurt in that incident. This one happened on video, you wonder how many haven't been caught. It is also interesting the engineer, and conductor didn't get off, and hold them for the police.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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quote:Originally posted by amtrak92: It is also interesting the engineer, and conductor didn't get off, and hold them for the police.
What is strange to me is the person filming had a scanner and it was on. Yet you never hear the Amtrak crew. I watched this over and over closely listening to the scanner. But all I hear are track warrants from other trains.
Maybe he had the wrong frequency, but when a train goes into emergency you better believe there will be radio traffic. So like you wondering where the conductor is, the lack of radio traffic is also interesting.
I sent a message to the poster of this video to see if he lives in the area and if those girls are his neighbors. Those two facts would make it a lot less suspicious to me. Just waiting for a response.
UPDATE
Talked with the photographer. He really just happened to be there when the girls pulled their stunt. As far as he knows from what the authorities told him, the girls live not to far from where this happened. The photographer lives about 35 mins from this location and this stretch of track is a normal railfaning spot for him. He too was surprised his scanner did not pick up any radio traffic from the Amtrak train or see any of the crew get off to investigate.
-------------------- Matt Visit gallery for photos of our train layouts Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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Given the videographer's obvious interest in Amtrak operations, he might find this board interesting as well.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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OK I confess (gulp!) -- when I was a little kid in Waukegan, Illnois, my friends and I (gulp) used to put stones on the track in front of the North Shore Line electric trains to watch the wheels of the train thoroughly pulverize the stones(gulp-gulp-)
OK, give me my 20 lashes now..........
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Not stones, but I used to use the Missouri Pacific to smash pennies....
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Time for my confession as well. I grew up in Superior WI which at one time was a huge freight train city. As young toughs living on the wrongs side of the tracks freights were central to our summer activities. Hopping trains just to go downtown, sweeping out grain cars before the railroad dicks caught up to us and looking up our favorite railroad bums to buy us liquor. A right of passage for us would be to hop a moving freight not on the ladder but in the open door of a car. Not proud of any of that but it was what it was.
Posts: 229 | From: Long Beach CA | Registered: Jan 2007
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Ha, can't beat the bums buying liquor story.
Worse thing I guess my friends and I used to do related to trains was put ketchup and other similar packs on the rails and wait for a Santa Fe freight to smash em.
This was in the Yorba Linda, CA area back when the line was single track through here, and for that matter not even the main line as the Pasadena line was still #1. We were excited to see the newly rerouted Desert Wind back then.
The vacant land we used to mess around in is now all houses
-------------------- Matt Visit gallery for photos of our train layouts Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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