Coast Starlight incident 12/27/13 - struck someone or not?

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Klamath

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We were told thru the PA system on the Coast Starlight that our train "struck a trespasser on the track" at the crossing in Chiloquin, Oregon last night around 9:04 PM - were delayed almost 2 hrs and two ambulances plus numerous law enforcement responded; yet there's not a peep in any of the local news... what happened?
 
I too come up empty for information on this incident. It is odd, but there may (or may not, knowing the press) be a reason why this has not surfaced as a news item.

You saw what you saw and I'd trust that over relying on what the '4th estate' tells, or doesn't tell, us.
 
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I was on the train that was involved, too, and can't find a shred of news out there on this incident. I wrote to the Klamath Falls Herald and News (www.heraldandnews.com), which looks like an actively maintained, nearby news org.
 
I still can't find anything on this. :huh: :angry2: :wacko:

Having recently rewatched the movie :cool: 'Men in Black' :cool: I begin to wonder...

Did the Starlight tangle with a UFO?!? :ph34r: :eek: :ph34r:

Maybe aliens were confused by the name of the train and thought there were fellow aliens aboard and the the train could stop as quickly as one of their vessels? :unsure: :rolleyes:

I'll check the tabloids for news when I go grocery shopping tomorrow. :blink: :rolleyes:
 
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Sometimes the person struck is insignificant. Who would care?
 
June the Coach Rider said:
roomette said:
Sometimes the person struck is insignificant. Who would care?
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NO ONE is insignificant, everyone counts for something and to someone. This was a very uncaring statement.
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I'm not sure what the appropriate approach is to this type of posting (not yours, his)... but I find it particularly lamentable when a few bad apples can spoil the sense of community that makes this forum special. :-(
 
I'm just verclemped because I feel "amtrak LIES" is a fine title for a thread and should never be locked.
 
Ever wonder if it was a suicide?

Not to be cold-hearted, BUT:

If it was indeed a suicide, and such an act was now deemed to be so bad and unfortunate as to NOT be reported in the newspaper/live news/media in general, that over time someone looking to end their life in a "blaze of glory" and get their name in the paper might reconsider the act if that last bit of fame was no longer part of the public response?

Just taking my turn in the Devil's Advocate seat (not to discredit you, DA. ;) )
 
Blackwolf said:
Ever wonder if it was a suicide?

Not to be cold-hearted, BUT:

If it was indeed a suicide, and such an act was now deemed to be so bad and unfortunate as to NOT be reported in the newspaper/live news/media in general, that over time someone looking to end their life in a "blaze of glory" and get their name in the paper might reconsider the act if that last bit of fame was no longer part of the public response?

Just taking my turn in the Devil's Advocate seat (not to discredit you, DA. ;) )
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This was a very uncaring statement.
 
I just realized I had my date wrong - it occurred at 9:04PM on December 26, 2013. Yes; we considered a suicide - so very dark in that stretch. There's always speculation (especially with a full train sitting around for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs in one place in the middle of nowhere)... but someone heard an Amtrak employee saying 'there was a rumor about a fight at the crossing and someone pushing someone else into the train's path and there were reportedly witnesses to this' ... for so many (for Chiloquin it was many) emergency response folks to be involved, I am puzzled that there still has been NOTHING in the news in this connection. The train was running early into Klamath before the accident; but it still had to be delayed overall. I too messaged the Herald & News on their facebook page; but no reply. I don't ride Amtrak that often; but this just seems very odd from the standpoint of Amtrak AND the local authorities not to report something on this.
 
I just had a thought, if the PA announcement said only that the train hit a trespasser, I wonder if it was a trespasser of the non-human kind, like a dog or deer. This would not make the news, but could cause a delay for the usual paperwork and checking the train for damage. Not sure it would take 2 hours, but it is another idea as to why there was no news about it.
 
They say "deer" when it's a deer. Deer can't technically trespass.
 
Here's a little more detail on my experience as a passenger:

The train came to a sudden, unannounced stop in a small Oregon town (Chiloquin) at around 9pm, Thursday 10/26/13. Someone got on the public address system to tell us that the train had just hit a person on the track, and that first responders had been called.

Shortly thereafter a lot of people were walking around outside the train with flashlights, seemingly looking everywhere. Then I noticed emergency lights a couple of blocks away, reflected off a building. From the building arose a column of either smoke or vapor. Shortly after that the road toward the lights was blocked with flares.

Eventually (a half hour after our stop? seemed like a long time!) a medic truck pulled up alongside the train with lights flashing, and then left a few minutes later. Our attendant told us that the man removed was still breathing – the first time a victim has been that lucky in her experience. (She guessed it was the fourth such incident in her career ... not sure how many years.)

After another hour or so of people walking around with flashlights, seemingly looking for something they knew must be there but couldn’t be found, the train resumed without a word about the incident or the victim – just the news that they’d be trying to make up the lost time.
 
Blackwolf said:
Ever wonder if it was a suicide?

Not to be cold-hearted, BUT:

If it was indeed a suicide, and such an act was now deemed to be so bad and unfortunate as to NOT be reported in the newspaper/live news/media in general, that over time someone looking to end their life in a "blaze of glory" and get their name in the paper might reconsider the act if that last bit of fame was no longer part of the public response?

Just taking my turn in the Devil's Advocate seat (not to discredit you, DA. ;) )
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Before u post something so unnecessary just because u want to put UR mouth wer it doesn't belong .watch and put UR self in the shoes of his family how it would hurt to read some stupid unnecessary comment like wat u post..think before u do stuff .think of others that u would hurt wit comments like that. Today is them and tomorro it's u that could b in there shoes or someone else !!!
 
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If you want to be taken seriously, try using real words, not text-speak.

Is it really all the hard to type "be" instead of "b", or "your" instead of "UR"? (Ok, that one probably is, since it requires knowing the difference between "your" and "you're".
 
Just had a response from the Herald & News this morning... they will have a story about what happened up online later today and in tomorrow's print newspaper (since they do not print a Monday paper)... and yes, it took nearly 30 minutes for emergency vehicles to respond. The Klamath Basin, like other rural areas of Oregon, is struggling with funding for resources (ever since timber receipts were significantly decreased when they shut down logging & mills). Consequently the outlying areas often have to rely on volunteer services for fire & ambulance. The state police who responded are based in the City of Klamath Falls as are the county sheriff's personnel who responded. The drive from KF to Chiloquin is long, dark and icy in spots along the lake; so a delay in response is expected. I didn't see any inordinate smoke or vapor other than exhaust from the many (presume local) cars that drove up. The road where the crossing is located is the main road in Chiloquin, so rather than gawkers, it's possible a lot of those cars were merely trying to go home.
 
It is always sad when a fellow human being is injured. All people should be respected as human beings. Even the internet thread trolls.
 
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